Author: CNN Newsource

By Tori Yorgey

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — A 10-year-old boy was taken into police custody after crashing a stolen car in East Baltimore Wednesday morning, officials said.

A 12-year-old passenger was also inside the vehicle, Baltimore City Sheriff Sam Cogen exclusively told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Cogen said deputies were serving warrants in East Baltimore when they noticed a Hyundai Elantra pass by them and run through a stop sign.

“They saw a car go by and what they described, they said it was like a little bobblehead that was like (the) top of a child’s head,” Cogen said. “They immediately took notice of it and they saw it go through a stop sign, and they attempted to stop the vehicle and the vehicle fled.”

Cogen said his deputies did not chase the car but did keep up with it until it crashed into a stop sign and fire hydrant by East 23rd and Barclay Streets in East Baltimore.

The Sheriff’s Office said the 10-year-old driver and a 12-year-old passenger got out of the car and attempted to run from deputies. The 12-year-old passenger got away from law enforcement, but the 10-year-old driver was caught and taken into custody.

Deputies said the car was stolen outside of a home in Parkville Saturday night.

“The ignition was popped. So, the ignition was broken out of the car, so it was obviously stolen when they came up on it,” Cogen said. “We don’t know if (the two boys stole) it or not. We know that the car was stolen from Parkville on Saturday night, around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m.”

Cogen said the child was given back to his guardian, adding in the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office is likely not going to be pressing charges due to the child’s age.

Cogen said his office will be filing a Child in Need of Assistance form, and will continue to follow the case.

“They crashed the car, they were going through stop signs. You know, they could be seriously injured, or (they) could seriously hurt somebody. So, it’s one of these things where it’s like, unacceptable,” Cogen told WBAL-TV 11 News. “We’re trying to figure out how to handle this. Like, as a society, we don’t want them to continue down this path but as a 10-year-old, we don’t want them to go to prison as well. So, we have to figure out how to hold them accountable and stop this behavior, but we also have to recognize that they’re a very young person and try not to ruin their life and get them back on track.”

WBAL-TV 11 News reached out to the City State’s Attorney’s Office for comment regarding the decision to not file charges but has not yet heard back.

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 LeeAnn Huntoon

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    POLK COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A 68-year-old Lakeland man was arrested this week after allegedly offering money to have sex with a minor during an undercover operation, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.

Thomas Hicks, 68, an employee in marketing and a seasonal Santa Claus performer, was one of 19 suspects arrested in a multi-day sweep targeting individuals who prey on children for unlawful sexual activity.

Investigators said the Hicks sent social media messages to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old girl.

According to the report, Hicks allegedly described explicit sex acts he wished to perform on the child, assuring the detective he would “be gentle.”

Detectives said Hicks, who is reportedly married for more than 50 years, told them he regularly visits known “prostitution sites” to look for prostitutes or companions.

He was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with human trafficking, traveling to meet a minor, use of a computer to seduce a child, and use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony.

The operation, dubbed “Operation Child Protector VIII,” was led by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and involved numerous law enforcement agencies.

In total, 16 suspects were charged with traveling to meet a minor for sex after communicating with undercover detectives posing as children or guardians online.

The participating agencies included the Auburndale Police Department, Davenport Police Department, Lake City Police Department, Orlando Police Department, Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff’s Office, San Francisco Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division.

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 Mike Anderson, KSL

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    LOGAN, Utah (KSL) — Increases in temperatures around so-called urban heat domes, or heat islands, could apply to a massive data center that is proposed for the northwestern side of Box Elder County.

Project Stratos, headed by “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary’s company, would span some 40,000 acres and produce up to 9 gigawatts of power at full scale, all to help serve artificial intelligence to the military and cloud-computing needs.

Wei Zhang is a professor of climate science at Utah State University and is part of a national panel studying extreme heat and developing models of rising temperatures, particularly in urban areas. He said the proposed city-sized data center could have effects similar to what they see in those areas.

“If that heat is strong enough, that can modulate the local circulations,” Zhang said. “(It) might create its own local circulation to cause something called urban heat island effect, or in urban climate field, what we call urban dome. So those heat by itself can cause some local circulation.”

Ultimately, those heat increases by 3 to 4 degrees could be enough to cause changes to the wind in the area, potentially impacting area storm systems. Zhang adds however, that the exact impact is unclear, and requires more study. He says the temperature changes could also be blown to other areas.

“It will affect the local climate, but I don’t know how how far that can be aggregated to a larger area,” Zhang explained. “That will need more evaluation.”

But he says it is enough of an impact to be concerned. In the meantime, Robert Davies, a professor of physics at USU, added that an even greater concern than the heat created, is the potential for a massive carbon footprint.

“Generating 9 gigawatts of power from natural gas will raise Utah’s current total greenhouse gas production by about 50%,” Davies said.

Patrick Belmont, a professor in watershed sciences added, “Every car, truck, bus, motorcycle, all of those emissions combined (in Utah). This plant will be putting out more than that.”

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 NBC 26 Staff

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    TWO RIVERS, Wisconsin (WGBA) — A Lakeshore pet boutique is helping shelter dogs put their best paw forward before finding new homes.

Lucky Paws Pet Boutique in Two Rivers has been partnering with the Lakeshore Humane Society for about 15 years, offering free grooming to newly arrived shelter dogs.

Owner Stephanie Mueller says giving the animals early care and attention helps them shine for potential adopters.

Mueller estimates she has helped prepare more than 250 animals for adoption, including nine last month alone.

“Adoption is super important,” Mueller said. “You get to go there and meet the dog.”

The grooming sessions often lead directly to adoptions. Lucky Paws customer Tracy Becker experienced this firsthand.

“I took a video of Shadow while he was being groomed and showed my mom and she instantaneously fell in love,” Becker said.

Mueller says the connection people build with pets is priceless. “Their love is unconditional… it’s magical,” she said.

Mueller encourages people looking for furry friends to consider adoption. Those looking for a new pet can visit the Lakeshore Humane Society, and anyone looking for a restraint-free groomer can call or visit the Lucky Paws Facebook page.

Lucky Paws also provides free grooming and discounted dog food for the Two Rivers Police Department and Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office.

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

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    APPLETON, Wisconsin (WGBA) — A training exercise at Fox Valley Technical College took a sudden and serious turn late March when an EMT instructor went into cardiac arrest in front of his students. The students’ quick response is credited with saving his life.

EMS instructor Karl Arps was simulating the symptoms of a heart attack for a classroom demonstration inside a training ambulance when he suffered an actual medical emergency.

“And Karl has done scenarios where he plays the part really good, like he deserves an Oscar,” Logan Lehrer said.

Students initially thought Arps was acting, but they soon realized something was wrong.

“You could see discoloration on his face, and we were like, okay, this is real now,” Lehrer said.

Another EMS instructor in the room, Traci Blondeau, jumped into action.

Students said Blondeau took control, and each student had a part to play. They called 911, removed Arps from the training ambulance, and took turns performing CPR.

“You wonder if they’re getting it. I don’t have to ask that,” Blondeau said.

According to the Red Cross, there is about a 10% chance of surviving a heart attack outside of a hospital. Arps survived what he called a “widow maker” and made it out of the hospital in a week.

“I had a heart attack, a widow maker, I was dead, I made it out of that hospital in a week,” Arps said.

Arps recently returned to the classroom where the medical emergency occurred and received a hero’s welcome.

“What can I say to six students who saved my life? It’s something I will, God, never forget,” Arps said.

“I am one in a million, I feel like one in a trillion,” Arps said.

Arps is recovering well and working to return to the classroom as soon as possible. He noted that the students successfully demonstrated the skills they train for at Fox Valley Tech.

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 Darren Cunningham

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    BEVERLY HILLS, Michigan (WXYZ) — How do images of assault rifles and political slurs end up at an elementary school function? That’s the question in Beverly Hills after a celebration of heritage turned into a conversation about discrimination and student safety.

The marquee out front on Wednesday still read “Cultural Night.” It took place on Tuesday evening. The celebration was intended to highlight the diverse backgrounds of the families at Beverly Elementary School. However, the message of inclusion is being overshadowed by a discovery that has left some parents feeling anything but welcome.

“I’m a little shocked because it’s an elementary school,” parent Bridget Forrest told 7 News Detroit. “They’re children. They’re innocent. They don’t know about any of that stuff.”

On a table inside the event were stickers that didn’t fit the theme. Some used profanity to target Zionism and read “Free Palestine.” Others featured a sketch of a high-powered assault rifle.

“Why are we celebrating an assault weapon at a multicultural event?” Steven Ingber asked.

Ingber is the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Detroit. Ingber calls the placement of the stickers an act of “intimidation.”

“I’m not surprised. I’m just disgusted by it, and to find this happening at an elementary school, I think, is just abhorrent,” he told 7 News Detroit.

“We’ve got to stop sweeping this under the rug and saying, nothing to see here, it’s just a sticker, it’s just a slogan, it’s only at a multicultural… This is where I think we have a problem as we’re continuing to say ‘it’s just a’ or ‘it’s OK’. None of this is OK.”

Beverly Elementary Principal Matt Fairchild released a statement to families apologizing for the “inappropriate” materials. He said he personally conducted a walkthrough before the doors opened and that those stickers were not on display at that time, suggesting they were added after the event was already underway.

The Birmingham school district declined to go on camera. However, it sent 7 News Detroit the same letter parents received. That letter goes on to say the school is reviewing its “internal processes to ensure future events have tighter safeguards.”

The full letter sent to parents from Principal Matt Fairchild is below:

Good evening Beverly Families,

At Beverly Elementary, we care deeply about every student and the many cultures that make up our community. Our multicultural celebration this evening was meant to be a joyful opportunity for students and families to share, learn, and feel a sense of belonging.

We understand that some aspects of the event did not reflect those intentions. In one room, there was a table of stickers, some of which were inappropriate, including a sticker with an image of a gun, and a sticker saying “(expletive) Zionism”. To be clear, at Beverly, we will not tolerate intimidation, bullying, discrimination, or anti-Semitism.

Ahead of the event, we shared clear guidelines with participating families to help ensure that all materials and displays were appropriate for a school setting and aligned with our values. I also conducted a walkthrough before families arrived, and these stickers were not on display at that time. The items shared in this instance did not meet our expectations for civility and respect.

I am truly sorry for the impact this has had on our students and families. This does not reflect who we are at Beverly or the environment we strive to create each day.

We are reviewing our processes and planning so we can strengthen safeguards for future events. We also remain committed to creating opportunities for our community to come together, learn from one another, and celebrate in ways that ensure every family feels safe, valued, and respected.

If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.

Thank you for your partnership and for being part of our Beverly community.

Sincerely, Matt Fairchild

“Obviously, they didn’t want this to happen. They’re not happy that they’re dealing with this today. I certainly don’t fault the school district or the school system or the principal or the building staff — that’s not where this is going. But we need to find out how it got there, why it got there, so it doesn’t happen again,” Ingber said.

The Beverly Hills Public Safety director said a school resource officer was at the school for a good portion of the day. He added that no one has come in to the police department to make a complaint, and the school is handling it internally.

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 Faraz Javed , Brian Schwartz

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    DETROIT (WXYZ) — A simple solution at Gabriel Richard Park along the Detroit riverfront is making waves in the fight to protect the Great Lakes: rain barrels.

Joshua Rubin, founder of MI Rain Barrel, and his team transform Greek olive barrels into 58-gallon rainwater collectors. The goal is to prevent excess storm water from running into the Great Lakes.

“The mission is to help prevent excess storm water from running into the Great Lakes because, during heavy rainfall, our sewer systems are overflowing, and some of that water is contaminated. And so holding back a rain barrel on every household would do a lot of good,” Rubin said.

Rubin has installed over 2,000 rain barrels in Macomb County alone. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, contaminated storm water runoff impairs water quality in approximately 30,000 miles of rivers nationwide.

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy along with MI Rain Barrel & Sierra Club Michigan Chapter hosts hands-on workshops to showcase the benefits of rain barrels, which extend beyond saving money on water bills.

“We really wanted to connect Detroiters to the riverfront while also promoting that environmental stewardship piece,” Kamryn Gardner said.

“It can reduce your flooding in your backyards and also be a great resource for things like if you have a community garden and want to reduce your water intake,” Gardner said.

Setting up a rain barrel involves finding a gutter in a backyard. Each barrel comes with a 2-by-3 flex elbow. Users cut their gutter and point it at the top of the barrel. Layering rocks in the lid creates a second filter, and a screen keeps debris out.

Besides the environmental benefits and financial savings, rainwater is better for plants.

“You can see your garden’s going to be growing greener, lusher because the water’s soft water. The water from your hose has minerals in it. It’s harsher, it’s heavier,” Rubin said.

Harvesting rainwater is an ancient practice dating back to the Romans, and Rubin noted that many grandmothers used to have them in their backyards.

Gardner helped set her mother up with a community rain barrel for her garden, calling it the best gift ever.

“It’s just been a great experience to see that sustainable lifestyle kind of become a part of her everyday nature,” Gardner said.

Rain barrels are available through MI Rain Barrel’s website.

Oakland County residents can receive $200 rebates through the Rain Smart program. Rain barrel workshops take place throughout the year.

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

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    DETROIT (WXYZ) — A jury has found Michael Lopez guilty in the murder of Melvindale Police Corporal Mohamed Said in 2024.

Jury deliberations began late Tuesday morning in the trial, and the jury returned the verdict on Tuesday afternoon, finding Lopez guilty on all charges.

The judge has set Lopez’s sentencing for May 22 at 9 a.m.

Lopez testified in his own defense on Monday, but was pulled from the stand after not agreeing to the judge’s rules. He returned to the stand on Tuesday morning. Watch his latest testimony in the video below.

The prosecutor and defense attorney both gave their closing arguments before the judge read the jury instructions.

Original report from Monday below

Similar to Thursday and Friday, Monday’s hearing ended in dramatic fashion.

After barring him from the courtroom for his outbursts late last week, the judge reminded Michael Lopez he has the right to testify.

Monday, she asked him repeatedly if he understood there is certain information that he cannot bring up because it’s inadmissible in court. He hesitantly agreed, but eventually, he had another outburst while on the stand.

His defense attorney asked him, “What substances had you used that evening (before the shooting)?”

Lopez replied, “Uh, crack cocaine, meth, fentanyl, drinking, weed.”

He recalled the moment he ran from Said, after he said the officer reprimanded him for littering.

“I had my weapon in my hand, and he was on top of me and as soon as I had my… as soon as I had the opportunity, I protected myself from dying. Um, I thought he was going to kill me back there in that yard,” Lopez said.

His attorney asked, “What did you do?”

Lopez said, “Um, I shot Mr.

His attorney interjected, “I understand that you shot him.”

During cross-examination, the prosecution referred to two unrelated encounters Lopez had with law enforcement in years past, including a carjacking arrest.

In that case, he disarmed an officer, and in the other, he ran from the officer.

The prosecutor said, “So, fair to say, on three occasions in your lifetime, any time you feel like you’re gonna get caught by the police, you run away. Correct?”

Lopez replied, “Yeah.”

When asked about the gun he used to kill Officer Said, Lopez defied the judge’s order and started discussing information he was told is not admissible in court.

The prosecutor said, “You knew that the officer was going to be investigating you for the gun, right?”

Lopez replied, “I knew that he was the one who my family filed a grievance on.”

The prosecutor injected, “See, I knew you couldn’t comply with the judge’s commands.”

Lopez said, “I knew that this man was targeting me.

The prosecutor said, “No.”

Lopez said, “I’m just telling the truth. You wanna hear the truth.”

The judge called a recess.

A bailiff said, “All rise for the jury.”

Lopez said, “I didn’t think they wanted me to tell ya’ll that.”

The judge repeatedly tells Lopez to stop talking.

As he left the courtroom, he turned to his attorney and said, “Thanks for nothing, John. You hear me?”

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 Malcolm Shields

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    TALLAHASSEE, Florida (WPBF) — A congressional district map proposed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has moved forward in the Florida legislature.

On Wednesday morning, SB 8-D passed the Florida House of Representatives.

The House passed the bill mostly on political party lines with 83 votes in favor and 28 against.

Democratic Reps. Jervonte Edmonds (Palm Beach County), Emily Gregory (Palm Beach County), Rob Long (Palm Beach County), Kelly Skidmore (Palm Beach County) and Debra Tendrich (Palm Beach County) cast no votes on the bill.

Republican Reps. Anne Gerwig (Palm Beach County), Peggy Gossett-Seidman (Palm Beach County), John Snyder (Martin and Palm Beach counties), Meg Weinberger (Palm Beach County), Tobin “Toby” Overdorf (Martin and St. Lucie counties), Dana Trabulsy (St. Lucie County), Robert “Robbie” Brackett (Indian River and Brevard counties) and Kaylee Tuck (Okeechobee, Glades, Hardee and Highlands counties) voted in favor of the bill.

Just after 3 p.m., the Florida Senate voted in favor of the proposed congressional district map by a 21 to 17 margin.

Democratic Sens. Lori Berman (Palm Beach County), Mack Bernard (Palm Beach County), and Tina Scott Polsky (Broward and Palm Beach counties) voted no on the bill.

Republican Erin Grall who represents Okeechobee, Indian River, Glades, Highlands counties and part of St. Lucie County voted no.

Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell (Martin County, parts of Palm Beach, St. Lucie counties), voted yes on the bill.

Gov. DeSantis will likely sign it into law.

Republicans hold supermajorities in the Florida House and Senate, and DeSantis is a Republican.

The bill was filed during a special session to address redistricting. Republicans say that redistricting was needed to account for the population increase the state had after the 2020 U.S. Census was released.

Normally, redistricting occurs every 10 years after the U.S. Census releases data on each state’s population.

Democrats say redistricting efforts are politically motivated. If the bill becomes law, Republicans will have the advantage in 24 of the state’s 28 congressional districts, as Democrats would lose advantage in four congressional districts that currently favor them.

Currently, Florida Democrats have eight U.S. House of Representatives members to the GOP’s 20.

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.