Author: CNN Newsource

By Adam Berkowitz, KOMU 8 Reporter

Click here for updates on this story

    COLUMBIA, Missouri (KOMU) — A Columbia wellness shop owner said a newly signed Missouri law targeting intoxicating hemp products could force him to shut down his storefront after six years in business.

Ethan Jones, owner of MindRight Wellness in Columbia, said his commercial lease ends in August and he likely will not renew it because of the financial impact the law could have on his business when it takes effect in November.

Jones said he plans to continue selling some products online through e-commerce, but losing a significant portion of his CBD inventory would make it difficult to keep the physical store open.

“CBD accumulates to be well over about 20% of my annual sales,” Jones said. “That is enough of a loss with the overhead that I carry for a brick-and-mortar shop to close my doors.”

Jones said he understands why lawmakers wanted to address concerns surrounding some hemp and THC products, but he believes the law goes too far and hurts businesses operating responsibly.

“I’m sure there’s sketchy products out there, but that’s like a small percentage fragment of what’s available that they are just cherry-picking to present to the public to make it look as if it’s more of an issue than it is,” Jones said. “I don’t have kids coming in here, knocking down my door for CBD.”

He said he was surprised CBD products became part of the legislation.

“I never expected CBD to be on the chopping block the way that it is,” Jones said.

Jones said most of his customers are older adults seeking wellness products.

“The type of people that buy my products are a variety of different people, but what I’ve come to see is the older community, like 50 and above,” he said.

The legislation, recently signed into law by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, cracks down on hemp-derived THC products lawmakers said are being marketed in ways that appeal to children.

State Sen. David Gregory defended the bill, pointing to products designed to resemble popular snacks.

“See right here, it looks like an Oreo package, but it actually has THC in it, marijuana, and they’re labeling it as hemp and they’re illegally selling it as hemp,” Gregory said. “We are putting an end to it.”

“These are the kind of things we are putting an end to, they’re dangerous, they’re dangerous for our kids, they’re dangerous to our communities,” Gregory said.

Jones said he worries other small business owners could face similar consequences.

“A lot of good people are going to be hurt by this bill, myself included,” Jones said. “I have genuine intent in the way that I help people.”

Mindright Wellness has operated in Columbia for six years and is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Jones said the possible closure of his storefront is emotional after years spent building the business.

“Quite honestly, it’s sickening. I’ve worked extremely hard over many, many years helping people,” he said. “This has been my dream from very early on in my life.”

“It makes me super sad because I love what I do, I love the people that I get to help, they love us, and so it’s just gonna be a big change,” Jones added.

After signing the bill, Gov. Mike Kehoe acknowledged concerns surrounding the legislation, but said the bill reflected strong support from lawmakers.

“But unfortunately, as I’ve said, when the bill comes to the governor’s office we get to say yes or no, we don’t get to modify what the bill does,” Kehoe said. “The bipartisan and unanimous vote the House and Senate passed after many years I think is reflective of the people who sent them to office to represent them here.”

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 Jacob Richey, KOMU 8 Digital Content Editor

Click here for updates on this story

    JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri (KOMU) — Intoxicating hemp products must be pulled from convenience store shelves, bars and restaurants across Missouri by Nov. 12, a bill signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Thursday establishes.

The Missouri governor signed the bill, House Bill 2641, along with three other bills in a ceremony on Thursday.

The bill establishes the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act, which Kehoe said aligns the state with a federal ban that Congress approved last year. The bill brings the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products under existing regulations of marijuana.

It prohibits non-licensed entities, like convenience stores, from selling intoxicating hemp products. It would also restrict the sale of the products to licensed marijuana dispensaries if Congress reverses the federal ban, as well as require non-licensed entities to discontinue the manufacturing or sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

Moreover, the bill prohibits marijuana dispensaries from keeping records or disseminating identifying information of regulated marijuana products consumers buy unless the consumer agrees to the creation or retention in writing.

“For too long, bad actors have exploited loopholes to market intoxicating products—including candy-like gummies or look-alike products — without meaningful oversight or accountability,” Kehoe said in a news release from his office. “This legislation ensures that Missourians know the products sold in their communities are safe, regulated, and kept out of the hands of children.”

The bill passed both the Missouri House and Senate with wide margins, but similar bills have failed in previous years.

The Missouri Hemp Trade Association delivered more than 10,000 handwritten letters last week to the governor’s office, along with an additional 2,000 petition signatures, urging Kehoe to veto the bill.

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 Nolan Bulmahn

Click here for updates on this story

    OMAHA, Nebraska (KMTV) — A stolen GMC pickup truck crashed into a house near 75th and Blondo early Wednesday morning, leaving a hole in the home and causing extensive damage.

Homeowner Scott Leak was asleep when the crash happened and initially thought a tree fell into his home.

“Heard a huge bang and, uh, had some pictures on the wall above my bed fall on me,” Leak said.

Cinder blocks and other debris covered the garage and the two cars inside, which Leak told me are likely totaled. One of the vehicles, a 1996 Acura NSX, could be impossible to repair. Leak said Honda only made 550 models that year.

“Bought it from a guy in Saint Louis who actually bought it from, uh, Steve Taylor, who used to play for the, the Huskers in the 80s,” Leak said.

The car is made out of aluminum, and finding parts for a vehicle discontinued 20 years ago is not easy.

“It’s also kind of a, a one in a million shot that uh just kinda, kinda wonder, man, what, what, what kind of luck do I have that uh that this happened here?” Leak said.

OPD said they do not have a description of the suspect yet as they continue to investigate.

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

By Mary Nelson

Click here for updates on this story

    OMAHA, Nebraska (KMTV) — With four active boys, Michael and Kristina Agostino embraced the ‘chaos’ of those ‘growing up years,’ where each child was involved in one sport or another.

Their second-born, Nick, also happened to be good at art.

“He just creates magic when he has a canvas,” Michael said.

But something else brought the couple and 3 News Now’s Mary Nelson together in their west Omaha home.

In high school, Nick was losing weight and was always thirsty and tired. The family took him to the doctor three times, but it wasn’t until a trip to the emergency room that they heard the diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes.

“As a mom, I feel so strongly about this mission because no parent should ever go through what we had to go through to see our child at death’s door to get diagnosed,” Kristina insisted.

Michael added, “For me, as a dad, I do still hold guilt. Like, as a pharmacist, why didn’t I put together two and two?”

That experience fuels their focus today on research and advancements around cell therapies. Currently, over 300 clinical trials for Type 1 diabetes are in the works, including 12 for functional cures. A decade ago, Breakthrough T1D estimates there were just a few.

At the front of the pipeline is a stem cell-derived, insulin-producing islet cell therapy. Zimislecel could possibly reach the FDA this year. Other trials deal with immunosuppression, as well as alternatives to medications that suppress the immune system.

“To have healthy pancreatic cells producing insulin? That’s the holy grail. And so, we see that at the end of the tunnel – we see that happening,” Michael explained.

The Agostinos will be honored Saturday night at the Nebraska Breakthrough T1D Gala for their support in advancing research. KMTV is a long-time sponsor of Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF.

Donations to Fund A Cure are fully tax-deductible. This link connects back to the Agostinos’ efforts.

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

By Terry Stackhouse

Click here for updates on this story

    DILLEY, Texas (WMTW) — Rachel Griffin Accurso, a nationally recognized children’s entertainer known as “Ms. Rachel,” is calling for the release of Olivia Andre, a Maine teen detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, under reportedly harsh conditions.

“Right away, I noticed that she’s deteriorating physically and mentally at Dilley. I’m so worried about her,” Accurso said, describing her recent Zoom call with Andre.

Andre, 19, is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and had been living in Portland as an asylum seeker before her detention.

“She was shackled, and she was put in an orange jumpsuit at 19 years old, after fleeing war, extreme violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, losing her brother on the way, getting her life together so fast here for her family as a kid,” Accurso said.

Customs and Border Protection claims Andre and her family entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and were ordered to leave earlier this year. The family was denied asylum in Canada and turned over to U.S. immigration officials in November.

Andre’s case gained attention after Texas Congressman Greg Casar read a letter she wrote.

“Before being detained, I was living in Portland, Maine, where I was beginning to build my future. I am a first-year college student studying to become a nurse,” Casar read.

Accurso says she has spoken with seven detainees at Dilley, including young children, and described the conditions as “horrific.”

Democratic Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree has also called for Andre’s release, sending a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials last week.

Pingree cited reports of “deplorable” conditions at Dilley, including inadequate medical care, clean food, water, and hygiene products.

“Why would we let children be in that condition? I’m an advocate for children everywhere,” Accurso said.

Andre is the only member of her family still in custody. Her mother and siblings, including her brother Joel, were released last month.

Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, said they have not received answers as to why Andre remains detained while her family was released.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security responded to inquiries, stating, “The facts are Olivia Mabiala Andre is an adult illegal alien with a final order of removal and no right to remain in the U.S.”

The spokesperson defended the Dilley facility, calling reports of poor conditions “mainstream media lies.”

They stated that detainees receive a comprehensive assessment within 48 hours of admission and claimed, “In most cases, this is the best healthcare illegal aliens have received in their entire lives.”

The agency did not address why Andre’s family was released while she remains in custody.

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 Yasmine Julmisse

Click here for updates on this story

    PALM BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — When we think about distracted driving, cellphones, fiddling with the car system or even eating may come to mind.

But one South Florida doctor says the root causes of distraction are much more wide-ranging, including driving while consuming marijuana, which, of course, is also driving under the influence.

Driving while high: Researchers with the Colorado School of Public Health recently found that cannabis use was associated with changes in driving performance, like weaving and switching lanes. They also found that edible cannabis led to more noticeable impairment, including slower speeds.

“It’s a public health problem,” said Dr. Louis Velazquez, a psychiatrist on the Treasure Coast.

Velazquez says this is a problem across North America.

“One study published in 2023 in Ontario found that cannabis-involved traffic injury emergency department visits increased by 475% over 13 years,” he said. “You can call it feeling too mellow to pay attention to traffic conditions or the distractibility of being self-absorbed with your mellow.”

Driving with ADHD: Another potential cause of distracted driving is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, out of 15,000 adolescents, researchers found that the four-year crash rate for drivers with ADHD was 37% higher than that of those without it. Experts recommend taking prescribed medication before driving.

Ability to focus behind the wheel: Velazquez also said older Americans may experience an inability to focus behind the wheel at the onset of early dementia. He added that even younger drivers can struggle with distractions, such as loud children in the back seat.

“We’re driving along, and we hear car sounds, and we hear the radio. We hear people talking, and a competent driver has to be able to filter everything out and focus on the task at hand: just driving,” he said.

“If someone’s depressed or anxious, they’ll be distractible,” he added. “The message to our community is that you need to be responsible for yourself when you’re driving and acknowledge that not just your safety, but the safety of others matters.”

Velazquez said new screen technologies in cars have not helped and that sometimes, instead of drivers controlling their texting habits, the habit controls them.

“The phone makes a sound, and you respond,” he said. “The phone becomes your boss is in effect like Pavlov’s rats, who we’re conditioned to respond to a stimulus.”

Velazquez says even though we might be stimulated by our cellphones, text messages while behind the wheel can wait.

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 WDJT News Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — A Milwaukee man found guilty of shooting and killing his 4-year-old son learned his sentence Thursday, April 23.

Thirty-five-year-old Ralph Taylor was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The shooting happened in July of last year. According to the criminal complaint, Taylor initially told investigators the child was shot through a window while Taylor was arguing with the boy’s mother.

“You may be the most monstrously evil human being who has ever sat in front of me,” Judge David Borowski said during sentencing. “You are evidence evil exists in the world. Your story on the stand was such a monstrous lie — that the magic bullet went up the third floor, turned again, and then went into your child’s mouth.”

Last month, a jury found Taylor guilty of first degree intentional homicide and possession of a firearm as a felon.

The child’s mother, Casandra Taylor, is charged with child neglect and straw purchasing a firearm.

Her plea hearing and sentencing is set for June 22.

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 Pamela Comme

Click here for updates on this story

    DELTONA, Florida (WESH) — Newly recovered body camera footage shows the moment a Volusia County deputy was shot at, with investigators saying the video captures a suspect firing directly at the deputy’s chest before the camera went dark.

This all happened in March at a home off Candler Drive in Deltona, where Deputy Jose Rivera was shot while investigating an assault.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the footage clearly shows the suspect exiting the home and immediately opening fire.

“What you see clearly is the defendant coming out, pointing his arm and firing that first shot that disables the camera,” Chitwood said. “So the first shot hits the deputy in the chest.”

Investigators believe the bullet deflected off Rivera’s body camera, likely preventing a more serious or fatal injury.

Initial reports indicated Rivera had been shot twice, in the leg and shoulder, with the possibility that one round ricocheted off the camera. However, as Rivera continues to recover and undergo further medical evaluation, authorities now say he may have been struck three times.

“Now that he’s in physical therapy and they’re reexamining the wounds, they’re pretty confident that he was hit not twice, he was hit three times,” Chitwood said. “One into the body camera, one into the arm, and one into the thigh.”

Rivera is recovering at home.

Chitwood said investigators have obtained a confession in the case, but emphasized that the video alone strongly supports their conclusions about what happened.

“We know what happened,” he said. “And we’re pretty confident the facts are so strong here that we know where this is going. There is no doubt in my mind he had every intention when those deputies knocked on that door to kill them.”

The investigation remains ongoing.

The shooter, Luis Diaz Polanco, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of attempted murder.

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 Bethany Cates, JD Franklin III

Click here for updates on this story

    North Carolina (WXII) — A woman is in custody after being accused of targeting members of the Jewish community, according to deputies with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office received information that Angelina Hicks, 18, could be targeting the Jewish community for a possible act of violence. An investigation immediately began.

Officials said they went to Hicks’ home, located on Linwood Southmont Road in Lexington. There, they found evidence that Hicks and co-conspirators were planning a mass-casualty event at a synagogue called Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, Texas.

On April 22, Hicks was arrested and charged with felony conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon to kill or commit serious injury and felony conspiracy to commit murder.

Officials said Hicks is in custody and her bond is set at $10 million. She is due in court on May 12.

Anyone with information about this investigation should contact Detective H. Hall at 336-242-2105.

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.