Author: CNN Newsource

By James Curtis, Kyle Schmidt

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    COLLIER COUNTY, Florida (WBBH) — A man was arrested Sunday evening at a playground after he was accused of exposing himself and punching mailboxes in Collier County.

According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office’s arrest report, Stanley Gardy Pascal, 30, was arrested after deputies said they received reports from two callers accusing him of exposing himself, punching mailboxes and going into the playground in a neighborhood off Collier Boulevard and Greenway Road at 7 p.m.

Deputies said they recognized Pascal from previous calls where he was accused of trespassing and harassing people. When they talked to him, deputies said he had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and was uncooperative, while he denied the accusations, according to the report.

The sheriff’s office said that a mental health assessment was conducted on Pascal, but he reportedly refused the help. He was then accused of resisting deputies when they told him to place his hands behind his back, so he was pepper-sprayed twice and then arrested, the report states.

Pascal was taken in for a mental health evaluation and had a hold placed on him for criminal charges. He was reportedly aggressive towards the medical staff as well.

Pascal is facing charges of indecent exposure, disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer without violence.

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 Olivia Young

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    DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colorado (KCNC) — Neighbors in the small Douglas County community of Louviers can finally put their water worries downstream. After six years of dealing with radium-contaminated water flowing through the pipes, the water in town is finally safe to drink again.

“We love our village,” said Louviers resident LaVona Quinn. “When I moved here, 36 years ago, I lived next door to one of the couples that worked for DuPont. So I’ve heard all the old stories, the good old stories, and about the village.”

Founded in 1906 as a company town for DuPont, Louviers is rich in history — and minerals.

“It’s one of those communities where if something happens, your community is going to be there for you,” said Matt Collitt, president of the Louviers Water & Sanitation District Board of Directors.

Collitt says all 113 taps in town get their water from the Arapahoe aquifer.

But that geology spelled a problem in February 2020, when CDPHE issued a violation order. The community’s water had tested above the maximum contaminant level allowed for radium. That level is 5.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and it’s set by the EPA.

Letters to Louviers Water & Sanitation District customers show that high radium levels started showing up in tests in 2018, with results as high as 9.3 pCi/L in early 2019.

“Huge shock. What is radium?” said Collitt.

Radium is a radioactive element. It’s naturally occurring in Colorado and can’t be tasted in water.

CDPHE says people who drink water with radium levels above 5 pCi/L for many years have an increased risk of cancer.

Louviers is not the first Douglas County community to encounter the issue.

“How do I describe this to the residents of the community? How do I tell them that their water is not safe to drink?” said Collitt.

Neighbors like Quinn have had water delivered ever since.

“It’s a little scary, but I wasn’t too blown away by it,” said Quinn.

“How do we fix this? Right? Because, you know, it’s going to be money, it’s going to cost a lot,” said Collitt.

After exploring different solutions, the water district was eventually able to secure $1.5 million to build a new water treatment facility, including an ion exchange filtration system that removes radium.

“I’m not an engineer, but it just basically takes molecules, and it takes the radium and attaches it to the isotopes of the ion,” said Collitt.

The money came largely from Douglas County American Rescue Plan dollars, as well as CDPHE and EPA grants.

“We’re under the radar, and we like that too. But when we need help, there’s help,” said Collitt.

While the cost of the new facility was covered by grants, there is now about an $8 fee per tap per month for operations of the new system.

When that system went online in late 2025, the tap water was finally tested safe. A Louviers Water & Sanitation representative says the recent levels have been under 1 pCi/L radium.

In March of 2026, CDPHE found the water district officially in compliance.

“It’s such a relief. I don’t know how to explain it,” said Collitt.

It means neighbors like Quinn can finally drink the tap water again.

“I think everybody’s really thankful about the water and all our big project that’s going on, the new water line,” said Quinn.

“The community is really patient with us, and they could see we were doing well, and it resulted in the solution,” said Collitt.

Collitt says there’s still about $6.5 million in infrastructure improvements needed on the water system.

Right now, the district is using a different $1 million EPA grant to replace its aging waterlines.

The water district’s next big hurdle is connecting to a larger water provider for emergencies. It’s an idea that became a priority after the Airport Fire last year, which was stopped just feet from some Louviers homes.

“I think we pivoted from radium to fire flow. So now we want to make sure when, if a fire truck shows up, it can hook to that fire hydrant and have the capacity to put out a fire,” said Collitt.

Collitt says the district is in discussions with local water providers like Dominion Water & Sanitation District, which serves Sterling Ranch.

“We think that there will eventually be a solution, and we can connect, at least in emergency capacity, to another water provider. So we are hoping Dominion eventually will. We’re not very confident of that. We have kept relations open with Roxborough Water and Sanitation District, and we can develop relationships with Highlands Ranch Water, for example,” said Collitt.

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 Krista Tatschl, Chloe Godding

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    INDEPENDENCE, Missouri (KMBC) — A violent act against some beloved geese has left community members heartbroken.

On Monday, store owners at Independence Center posted on social media a photo of a nest destroyed.

KMBC 9 spoke with staff at a local jewelry shop right by the eggs, which were in a large red flower pot. Employees say a customer saw a woman notice the eggs, retrieve a hammer from her truck and smash the eggs before driving off. The expecting goose parents flew down and began squawking at the wreckage of their nest, left without any goslings.

“Who would do such a thing?” said Tameka Bryant, the general manager at Independence Center. “We knew it was days, probably minutes before these babies would be born.”

Canada geese are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. That means it’s illegal to harm, kill, sell or possess them or to destroy their eggs or nests without proper permits. Breaking those laws could result in a fine of up to $15,000 or jail time.

That didn’t stop an attacker from ruining the nest.

“She needs to be prosecuted,” Bryant said. “You don’t come up and end someone’s — you just took a whole family and destroyed a family. … There are laws.”

But, in a moment of light, the geese got a taste of what they are ready for: parenthood.

Jen Cline with Babe’s Ducks Waterfowl Rescue in Blue Springs, Missouri, came out to Independence Center on Tuesday and brought a recently rehabbed gosling with her.

“The cool thing about Canada geese is they will adopt babies,” Cline said. “And so, since they lost their babies, and they clearly are very good parents, I feel like this baby will be good with them and for them.”

That gosling needs a little bit more time to rehab, but Cline said they plan to return the gosling back to the geese at Independence Center.

No one has been caught in the egg-smashing, but there are security cameras around the center. The Missouri Department of Conservation was notified of the crime.

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 Mallory Anderson

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Rachel and Douglas Copher, a Milwaukee couple who grew their family through in vitro fertilization, are now hoping to donate their unused embryos to help another family experience parenthood.

The Copher home on Milwaukee’s south side is filled with the sound of little feet and laughter, a reality Rachel and Douglas once thought might never happen.

“We tried for about three years, probably, with all of the ovulation tests, all the crazy things, and we just couldn’t do it,” Rachel Copher said.

After one failed egg harvest and a few other bumps in the road, the couple eventually got pregnant through IVF, welcoming their son Dexter in August 2021 and their daughter Saya in May 2023.

“I can’t tell you how lucky we are that we were successful that easily with IVF, as so many people have trouble,” Rachel said.

Knowing the pain of dealing with infertility, the Cophers now want to help others experience parenthood.

“They are my everything,” Rachel said, tearing up. “And I want to help somebody else have that, too.”

With two leftover embryos, the Cophers faced a decision: keep the embryos frozen indefinitely, donate them to science for IVF research, destroy them, or donate them to another family. When they learned about that final option, they decided to give these potential daughters a chance at life and reached out to the agency Embryo Connections.

“What I discovered was that so many people wanted to donate embryos, but didn’t know how to do it,” said Deb Roberts, president of Embryo Connections.

Roberts founded Embryo Connections in 2018 after having her own two children through donated embryos. Her agency is now helping the Cophers find compatible potential parents through comprehensive questionnaires.

“We really want you to feel the fit, because my hope is that those two families are connecting in some way throughout their lives, because they have children who are genetic siblings,” Roberts said.

“You go through those thoughts of ‘What if?’ and it keeps you up a little bit at night, but it’s all about finding the right people you feel comfortable with,” Douglas Copher said.

“We’re trying to find somebody that has at least similar values to us, to raise our embryos, to give them a good life, and to know that they’re going to be treated well,” Rachel Copher said.

It’s not just Embryo Connections helping families on this journey. Dr. Jayme Bosler, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Froedtert Hospital, said her clinic sees about 20 embryo donations a year, and there are various ways donor parents and recipient families connect.

“I’ve had couples that found each other on Facebook, and they knew each other in high school. So that, that was an option. Some just find each other anonymously through coworkers, and some go through these third-party companies,” Bosler said.

Donor parents do not receive payment for their embryos, but also do not bear any costs associated with the donation. Recipient parents take on costs for legal support and health screenings, which can be around $10,000.

“We also have processes where they meet with our clinical psychologist, both the couples that are donating and the couples that are receiving. So they kind of know what they’re getting into and have thought about all the extra emotional things that go along with this process,” Bosler said.

Embryo donation is not without controversy. Ethical concerns have been raised, and some religions, such as Roman Catholicism, condemn IVF entirely because it separates procreation from the marital act.

Roberts believes her agency is providing a solution for surplus embryos.

“The ability to give those embryos to somebody else is passing that gift forward and solving the problem of surplus embryos,” Roberts said.

“I think some people have the misconception that if they’re getting this embryo from someone else, that it’s not going to be their baby,” Bosler said. “But you are putting this embryo in the uterus. It’s growing entirely within you. You’re going to deliver it. You’re going to raise this child. So, honestly, it’s all perspective. I think it is definitely their child, whether it shares the genetics or not.”

The Cophers feel embryo donation opens the door to more choices for parents looking to grow their families.

“I feel like this is a great chance for whoever receives these embryos to go through the whole process. You know, the woman to go through process of growing that baby inside her, because that brings another connection,” Douglas Copher said.

Rachel reflected on the love she has for her children, emphasizing she hopes to bring that joy to another family through this journey.

“As they say, you never know true love until you have your kids,: Rachel said, holding back tears.

The Cophers are still searching for the perfect parental fit for their embryos and are open to hearing from local families who may be interested.

To learn more about the donation process, visit EmbryoConnections.org.

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 Zach Rainey

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WYFF) — A recent drug bust in Asheville, North Carolina, made history as it was the largest fentanyl seizure in Buncombe County history.

The Asheville Police Department said as part of an ongoing investigation that included information submitted through the Tip411 app, detectives arrested 37-year-old Jesse Milton Ogletree Jr. on Gashes Creek Road on April 22.

Officers said Ogletree was in possession of a trafficking quantity of fentanyl at the time of his arrest.

A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of eight firearms, 33.249 pounds of narcotics, and $13,582. Detectives also recovered equipment consistent with large-scale drug distribution.

Police seized a total of 8.03 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, equivalent to more than 4 million potentially lethal doses. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are the primary driver of overdose deaths in the United States.

The following evidence was seized by detectives:

1 Short Barreled Rifle with Suppressor and Drum Magazine (Weapon of Mass Destruction) 4 Semi-Automatic Shotguns 3 Handguns (including a Polymer 80, or a ‘ghost gun’) 33.249 pounds of weighed narcotics, including the following: 14.695 pounds of powdered substances (Fentanyl and Cocaine) 2.17 pounds of suspected blocked Fentanyl 5.06 pounds of pills + 38 dosage units (suspected pressed Fentanyl) 2.741 pounds of Marijuana 8.27 pounds of Methamphetamine 0.313 pounds of suspected Heroin $13,582

Ghost guns are any privately made firearms without serial numbers that allow police to trace weapons used in crime.

Ogletree is facing the following charges:

Two counts of felony trafficking in Fentanyl Two counts of felony trafficking in Methamphetamine Two counts of felony trafficking in Cocaine Felony possession of Schedule VI controlled substance Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Fentanyl Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Cocaine Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Methamphetamine Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Marijuana Felony possess weapon of mass destruction Felony possession of firearm by felon Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia Ogletree was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $60,000 bond.

Officers said anonymous tips made through the TIP411 app were instrumental in making the arrest.

If you have any information about this incident or any illegal drug activity, please contact APD at (828) 252-1110.

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By Chloe Godding

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    LAWRENCE, Kansas (KMBC) — The Lawrence, Kansas, Police Department is advising students to be careful with pranks.

Police were called to Free State High School after a concerned driver saw what they thought was a gun. The person carrying it was reportedly wearing camouflage and walking toward the school.

It turns out, it was a water gun, which was obvious up close, but from far away? Maybe not.

“There are much more creative ways to enjoy the last days of your Senior year than causing fear and a school lockout,” police said on social media.

Police said the call led to an “immediate” response from LKPD. Officers told KMBC 9 from what they understood, it was part of a senior prank in some way.

“Not funny,” police said.

Free State High School sent a letter to families explaining the situation. School officials said the school went under a brief lockout around 12:25 p.m. due to a report that someone had a gun near the school. A lockout means teachers continue their lessons with the doors locked.

The threat, as police indicated, was false, and involved a water gun.

School resumed its normal operations by 12:40 p.m.

“We appreciate the quick actions of the Lawrence Police Department and our Free State staff to keep everyone safe,” the school said. “If your child was concerned about the incident today, they are welcome to seek out a member of our counseling team for support.”

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 Chris Reed

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    PINE VALLEY, Utah (KSTU) — Time has flown since the wildfires of last summer burned through Pine Valley. There’s no better example of that than how quickly people are rebuilding, and one of the youngest is trying to lead efforts to bring back his favorite fishing hole. Boston Thiriot said the damaging fire gave him a chance to see what had happened to Pine Valley and how the 17-year-old could improve the community.

Thiriot comes from six generations that have called Pine Valley home. His great-great-great-grandfather, James Bracken, was one of the people who settled the area, while his older brother, Bracken, led the effort to build a bridge near the reservoir a couple of years ago for his Eagle Scout project.

Now, Boston is trying to raise funds to rebuild the pier for his project.

Boston wants to provide ADA accessibility to the dock and is working with the U.S. Forest Service to make it happen. While the fire did not destroy the dock, generations of use wore it down. “Washington County and Pine Valley is a great, wonderful community, and we do a lot together, and we rise together and help one another,” explained Boston’s father, Bryan.

Pine Valley is rising from the devastating wildfire, with most of the 13 homes destroyed by the flames either rebuilt or nearly done.

The Forest Service said crews hand-planted 80,000 trees in April and have worked to stabilize slopes and repair trails, and shared how nature is returning to the burn areas of the Pine Valley Recreation Area, although it and the reservoir will remain closed until next year, and trespassers will be fined. However, Boston will be permitted to go in with others in June to rebuild the dock. But he still needs to reach his funding goal. He has raised about $7,000 of the $10,000 needed.

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 Melissa Blasius

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KNXV) — The biological parents of a baby who drowned in a Tucson foster home have filed a notice of claim against the Arizona Department of Child Safety and the licensed foster mom who cared for the child.

Vivian Mae Mariscal was eight months old when she died in a bathtub in September 2025.

“Vivian was left alone, unsupervised, in an unsafe situation,” said attorney Ken Ralston. He represents the girl’s biological parents, Ashley Manley and Angelo Mariscal.

The notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, alleges wrongful death and negligence against DCS and the foster mother who was caring for Vivian Mae. The biological parents are asking for $5 million in damages.

“The goal is to get DCS’s attention,” Ralston said. “To make sure that they take the initiative to ensure that a child is in a safe, nourishing, loving environment where incidents like this can never happen.”

According to police records, the foster mother’s 17-year-old son called 911 on the night of the drowning.

“We are having a problem with a child not breathing,” the teen told the dispatcher.

The foster mother, licensed by the Department of Child Safety, attempted CPR on the child but could not revive her.

ABC15 is not naming the foster mother, who has not been criminally charged, in part to protect the identity of minor children in her home.

Tucson Police officers arrived and started asking questions.

The foster mother told officers she left Vivian Mae and a 2-year-old daughter in the living room. She said she went to the bathroom in her own bedroom for a few minutes.

Police body cameras recorded their conversation:

Officer: Who put the daughter in the bathtub?

Foster Mom: She put herself in the bathtub.

Officer: The truth? She did?

Foster mom: Yeah, and then she took the baby and put the baby in the bathtub.

Officer: The two-year-old did?

Foster mom: Yeah.

The foster mother said she heard water running in the kids’ bathroom when she returned to the living room.

The recorded conversation continued:

Foster mom: I went directly to the bathroom. The baby was purple.

Officer: Did you turn the water on? Or did the toddler?

Foster Mom: The toddler.

But the woman’s 17-year-old son offered a conflicting account.

“My mom said, ‘Put the sisters in the bathtub,’ so I put them in the bathtub,” the teen told police on the night of the drowning.

The teen also worried about what would happen to his mom.

“I don’t want her to go to jail tonight,” the teen said.

Days later, in a follow-up interview, a Tucson Police detective expressed concern about changing stories.

“When things don’t line up and we’re getting different stories, then it makes it look like something’s off,” Detective Meghan Johnson told the foster mother.

“I have nothing to hide,” the foster mother replied. “I’m very sad, obviously, about the situation.”

Tucson Police said they made no arrests. Prosecutors reviewed the case and declined to file charges.

The medical examiner ruled the drowning was an accident.

DCS also opened a case. In a recorded interview obtained by ABC15, the DCS investigator expressed concern that neglect occurred.

“Either way, the girls were not supervised in the bathtub, and they should have been,” the DCS investigator said. “As tragic as it is — and I am so sorry for your loss — it’s still neglect,” the DCS investigator said on the recording.

“I’ve had multiple kids through my house. I’ve not had any issues,” the foster mother said in the interview.

“There’s nothing I could have done differently in that scenario, you know, I obviously have to go to the bathroom,” she added.

The outcome of the DCS investigation is unclear. Sometimes it takes more than a year for the agency to release a report about a child fatality. By law, the findings can’t be released publicly unless it is determined that a child died because of abuse, abandonment or neglect.

“Our hearts go out to the child’s loved ones and all those affected by this tragic event,” a DCS spokesperson told ABC15 in an email. “We are committed to fully understanding the circumstances surrounding this tragedy and are assisting law enforcement in their investigation. “No matter how you slice the facts, one thing is clear: She was left alone without adult supervision in the bath in about six inches of water,” Ralston said.

The parents’ notice of claim alleges wrongful death and negligence, saying, “In Arizona, foster parents have a duty to provide safe care to a foster child, including monitoring children while in bathtubs.”

The claim points out that drowning is the leading cause of death for Arizona children under 5, adding, “DCS should have ensured that all foster parents with children under 5 in their home have extensive training on water safety.”

According to DCS, before and during licensing, the foster care agency educates caregivers on proper supervision and reinforces water safety expectations. DCS also has specific rules about water safety, but the rules address pools and other bodies of water.

“We remain dedicated to strengthening our systems and ensuring every child in our care is protected, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive,” a DCS spokesperson told ABC15 in an email.

“It’s just tragic. And it really just shouldn’t happen,” said Eleanor Shaffer, an attorney working with Ralston on Vivian’s case.

The lawyers said DCS took custody of Vivian Mae shortly after birth, and the couple had an older child already in foster care.

While reports show Manley had been using drugs during her pregnancies, the couple had visitation rights.

“They were fighting to get their daughter back,” Ralston said.

But the parents’ hope of reunification was ruined; Vivian Mae was returned to them for burial.

“It’s a trauma that’s never going to leave this family,” Shaffer said.

After ABC15 reached out for comment, Vivian’s foster mother sent a text saying, “We are deeply saddened by the situation and are still grieving.” She declined an on-camera interview.

DCS has 60 days from the date of the Notice of Claim to answer or settle. If the agency denies the claim or does not respond within the timeframe, Vivian Mae Mariscal’s biological parents can file a lawsuit.

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.