Author: CNN Newsource

By DeJanay Booth-Singleton

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    Michigan (WWJ) — Police officers in Madison Heights, Michigan, helped a 72-year-old woman who was unconscious from choking at a restaurant.

According to the Madison Heights Police Department, officers responded on April 16 to Charlie’s Restaurant on N. Campbell Road. Police found the woman from Shelby Township who was not breathing and lifted the woman from a seated position to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

Police say two of the officers alternated on performing the abdominal thrusts while two other officers kept the woman upright. Within minutes, officers dislodged the blockage, and the woman was able to breathe again.

Police say the woman was transported to a hospital for observation and was discharged later that day.

“Although the woman wished to remain anonymous, she expressed heartfelt appreciation for the actions of the first responders, crediting them with saving her life,” police said. “The Madison Heights Police Department extends special recognition to Officer Teal, Officer Rivera, Officer Al-Hilfi, and Officer Berlucchi for their swift actions. Their efforts reflect an unwavering dedication to public safety and their commitment to serving the Madison Heights community.”

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 Julia Avant

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    Michigan (WWJ) — Around this time six years ago, restaurants and bars were closed due to the pandemic, forcing regulars to stay home.

Instead of letting friendships that started at local dives fade away, one group of guys in Metro Detroit kept theirs alive in a garage.

“We go back a little way, a dozen years for some of us,” said Pete Belanski.

To the people driving by, it looks like your typical group of guys hanging out at a buddy’s house. But if you look a little closer, you’ll find a group of men in all different stages of life with one thing in common: true friendship.

“Everybody would get there about four and break up at six. We were the happy hour guys,” said Belanski.

The Happy Hour Guys met five times a week for almost a decade at a bar and grill in Metro Detroit until the pandemic.

Stopping what these men looked forward to every week, but not for long.

“They were shutting down the bars on Tuesday, and I think Thursday we were here,” said Belanski.

That’s how the Corona Lodge came to be, with a little decor and a bigger fridge and TV. A buddy’s garage took social distancing to a whole new level.

“A lot of people think it’s crazy, but I don’t. They say they are still coming by, and I said, ‘ Why wouldn’t they? ‘” said Scott Cavanaugh, the homeowner’s son.

Cavanaugh’s father, Bill, started the lodge. He says his dad’s rules were to bring your own chair, booze, and not to talk about politics.

Business was good for the Corona Lodge for six years, even after Bill got sick.

“He would ask me over and over again, ‘You are going by the house to see the guys, right?’ It was important to him you don’t want to make them feel like they are imposing,” said Cavanaugh.

Sadly, Bill died a couple of weeks ago. Losing the man who started their beloved tradition is something that’s still hard for the group to talk about. But they say they are grateful for the man who never gave up on friendship.

“We miss him, you know. Bill was one of a kind grouchy dude, but we loved him,” said Belanski.

From a group of friends who met five times a week, the Corona Lodge is now open every day until their friend’s home is sold, which is something the group is not focusing on; they just want to focus on the friendships and the memories that will live forever.

“You need a shoulder to cry on or somebody to fix something, here they are,” said Belanski.

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 Briauna Brown, CBS Texas Staff

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    Texas (KTVT) — A man who was naked when he attacked two men with firewood, killing one, was found not guilty by reason of insanity on Tuesday, according to court records.

Court records show that the suspect, Chrisantus Omondi, was charged with the January 2024 murder of 51-year-old Scotty Jackson.

How the murder unfolded According to a police affidavit, on Jan. 13, 2024, Fort Worth officers were called to a home on Wendover Drive, where they found a man lying in the front yard with severe blunt force trauma to his head. The victim, later identified as Jackson, died at the scene.

A homeowner told police that he called Jackson to purchase and deliver firewood to his home, and after arriving by U-Haul to unload it, Jackson and the homeowner were approached by a naked man, Omondi, who was 27 at the time.

Omondi reportedly claimed that he was the owner of the home and held up a key. When the homeowner and Jackson told Omondi to leave, Omondi allegedly picked up a piece of firewood and hit both Jackson and the homeowner in the head.

The homeowner told police that Omondi chased him, and he ran inside his home to call 911. But while he was on the phone, the homeowner witnessed Omondi attacking Jackson again, striking him repeatedly before he dumped a wheelbarrow on him, the affidavit said.

Omondi then went to another home on Wendover Drive that operated as an Airbnb, renting individual rooms to tenants. One of those tenants said she believed Omondi was high on a substance.

When officers approached the Airbnb, they heard yelling before Omondi, still naked, came outside. Officers said Omondi became aggressive he was ultimately tased and taken into custody.

Omondi was charged with murder and aggravated assault.

Victim’s daughter calls killing unforgiveable CBS News Texas spoke with Jackson’s daughter, Kasey DeLeon, following the incident. She described her father as hardworking and said, “He would do anything for anybody.”

DeLeon expressed how she wanted justice for her father’s murder and how hard it would be to live without him.

What happens now? After the judge’s insanity ruling, Omondi will be immediately committed to a maximum-security unit designated by the Department of State Health Services for evaluation and treatment upwards of 30 days.

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 Lauren Linder

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    PITSSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — Crews made a nearly 100-year-old discovery underground in the Alle-Kiski Valley while cleaning up a former hazardous site.

Outside the Stop’ n Shop convenience store at Spring Hill and Freeport in Harrison Township, workers have been actively uncovering what could be considered historical artifacts below the surface of the parking lot where there once was a gas station decades ago.

Spokespeople for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection told KDKA they first started receiving complaints about the smell of gasoline from the sewer system in the area in 2018, and they started to drill in 2019. Then came the pandemic and they took a pause until March 3, with contractors from EnviroTrac discovering 10 underground storage tanks dating back to 1929.

The agency confirmed to KDKA that some were leaking because they were structurally compromised, with tests showing groundwater was contaminated with gasoline.

Crews removed any contaminated soil, and as of Wednesday, they’re almost done filling the hole, with the DEP saying remediation work is underway “to address an imminent and substantial threat to public health and welfare.”

In the process, the agency said it’s testing all contaminated materials “to ensure proper handling, transportation, and disposal.”

The DEP said no one knew the tanks were there because they were never registered with the state due to how old they are. It wasn’t until 1989 when the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act became law, requiring registration of most underground tanks.

The agency expects the project to continue for at least another month.

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 Brian Unger

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    CONYERS, Georgia (WUPA) — The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo just thundered through Conyers, drawing riders from across the country, all chasing eight seconds of glory.

Under the lights of the Charles C. Walker Arena at the Georgia International Horse Park, the scene is part pageantry, part pressure cooker.

Boots are polished, hats are set just right, and the crowd roars when the gate swings open. For 19-year-old Terrance Jackson of Conyers, the assignment is simple: stay on the horse.

The rodeo’s operators call it “the greatest show on dirt,” and after 42 years, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo has become the longest-running Black rodeo in the country — a traveling celebration of culture, competition, and history that rarely gets its due.

Named for Bill Pickett, the cowboy, showman, and early film star who invented “bulldogging” (yes, that involved leaping from a horse onto a steer and, incredibly, biting its lip, and wrestling it down by its horns) — the event carries forward a legacy that helped build the American West, even if history books didn’t write it.

That legacy lives on through CEO Valeria Cunningham, who sees something deeper than competition in the arena and sees the riders as more than competitors. Parents, she says, often tell her, “When my child comes and competes, they feel like they’re surrounded by family.”

Beneath the bravado, the bucking, the boots, there’s belonging and history. Because behind every ride is an echo of the thousands of Black cowboys who helped shape the American West.

On this night, in Georgia dirt, they’re holding on to that legacy and a bucking horse. For Terrance Jackson, eight seconds were all it took to win.

“Man versus beast,” he said, “It ain’t nobody but you and that horse, and you hold on with all you got.”

Next stop for the Pickett Rodeo is Fort Worth, Texas, before the tour heads to its finals in Washington, D.C., this September.

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 Ryan Hughes

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    SEWELL, New Jersey (KYW) — Step inside the DePace Sports Museum of Champions and you’ll find some of the most treasured sports artifacts and collectables that span several centuries.

From golden statues of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and the actual trunks they wore during “The Fight of the Century” in 1971, to the locker Babe Ruth used, the nonprofit museum in Sewell, New Jersey, offers visitors a unique display of sports history from around the world, with an emphasis on the tradition of Philly sports.

“It brings all these people back, and they reminisce, ‘Oh, I remember this, I remember that, or I shared this with my dad.’ Really special moments, and it brings it back,” said Dr. Nicholas DePace, who owns the museum.

But DePace is reflecting on his own special moment that happened three weeks ago in Rome. DePace had a private audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, an experience he said is beyond once in a lifetime, or even winning a Super Bowl.

“I told him we’re bringing you some gifts from the Philadelphia area, and his eyes lit up because he’s a Villanova graduate,” DePace said.

DePace’s good friend set up the meeting, and knowing Leo is a sports fan and grew up in Chicago, he presented him with not only a custom Villanova basketball jersey, but also an autographed White Sox photo from when the team won the World Series in 2005, and a game-used football from the Bears’ 1946 championship season.

“I think we made him happy, and we wanted to bring some joy to him as he’s bringing joy to everybody else,” DePace said.

DePace said sports unite people around the world, and with the Flyers in the playoffs for the first time in six years, he’s hoping for a little divine intervention.

“I wouldn’t count them out. Miracles can happen, the pope will tell you that, and even though he’s not a Flyers fan, I’m sure he would be excited if they were to get into the Stanley Cup,” he said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Shannon Brinias

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    HICKS, Texas (KTBS) — A community came together to support an 8-year-old East Texas boy battling a dangerous form of cancer — and their effort has made a life-changing difference.

For Easton Green, even the final few steps up to his new front door can feel heavy. But those steps led to something extraordinary: seeing his new home for the very first time. The house, along with everything inside it, was donated by people moved by his family’s situation.

“We have been working really hard to get all of this together so that when this family comes home, they can turn it into a happy haven of peace and just rest and relaxation,” said Michelle Cox of Chloe’s Journey of Faith.

Easton has been battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is expected to undergo two or more years of chemotherapy — treatment that will further strain his already compromised immune system. His family’s previous mobile home had mold and plumbing issues, making it unsafe for someone in his condition. At first, organizers thought they could rehab it but eventually settled on replacing it once contractors got a look at the scope of work needed.

“Since Easton got sick, we have had the community come out — and really, the outreach has been amazing,” said his grandmother, Krista Smith Klectka.

Organizer Michelle Cox understands the difficult road ahead, as the mother of a critically ill child, Chloe, who died at 13 and for whom the nonprofit Chloe’s Journey of Faith is named.

When the call for help went out, people from across Texarkana, the surrounding region, and even beyond stepped up.

“I was able to reach out to all of our contractors — the moving company, the skirting crew, the AC company. There were so many people involved, and they’ve all very generously donated their time,” said Taylor Bradshaw, Clayton Homes of Texarkana general manager.

Through those combined efforts, the cost of the home was significantly reduced, with donations covering all but $19,000 of the price. Now, Easton and his family can focus more on his treatment and less on financial stress.

The new home offers not just shelter, but a safer, healthier environment as Easton continues his fight.

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 Montse Ricossa

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — FBI Milwaukee is issuing a new warning to parents amidst a growing “extremist network” they say is targeting your kids. There are more than 450 cases under investigation nationally, with some in Wisconsin, though the exact number wasn’t released. Federal authorities have classified the activity as domestic terrorism. The network targeting minors, according to the FBI, is called “764.”

Members of these networks manipulate victims by building trust or a romantic relationship, according to the FBI. Only later, the network will manipulate the victims to produce graphic content, or engage in self-harm, animal cruelty, or other dangerous behavior.

“Anyone can become a victim in our communities,” shared FBI Milwaukee’s Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) Alan Karr.

Potential signs of victimization parents should look out for include:

Sudden behavior changes such as becoming withdrawn, moody, or irritable Changes in appearance, including neglect of appearance or hiding specific body parts Signs of animal cruelty Unexplained harm to younger siblings Threatening to commit suicide and openly talking about death, “not being wanted or needed,” or “not being around” Scars, often in patterns, including signs or names from online platforms Fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, bite marks, burns, or other wounds Reports of personally identifying information being posted online for victimization (commonly referred to as a “dox”) Sudden and unexplained gifts or packages arriving for the child to the home

Victims are typically teen girls while the perpetrators tend to be males in their late teens to early 20s, said SAIC Karr.

He went on to explain that many subjects are motivated by “Nihilistic Violent Extremism” also known as NVE. That means they “try to sew chaos and destruction in society.” Others though could be motivated by “sexual gratification, social status, a sense of belonging, or for a mix of other reasons.”

The first step in prevention, according to the FBI, is awareness. They urge parents to make sure they know who their kids are communicating with online and through which platforms.

“Increasing awareness for the community so people understand it’s an issue and we would like for it to be reported. it helps protect our communities and people.” — Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr

Victims should be sure to write down or take screenshots of any identifiable information from the perpetrator including usernames, email addresses, websites, and names of the platform used. It should then be reported to:

1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov

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 Carolyn Gusoff

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    LONG ISLAND, New York (WCBS) — Scientists say New York’s coastal waters are experiencing some of the most severe threats on record, and not just environmental.

There are now concerns about flesh-eating bacteria.

Harmful algae blooms and dead zones In the waters of the Western Shinnecock Bay, shellfishing is banned because of a toxic algae bloom, and across Long Island, the blooms are getting more intense.

“It’s scary because summer season is coming. Everyone wants to get in the water to fish and boat,” East Quogue resident Roy Gardner said.

Flashback: Early ‘Mahogany Tide’ algae bloom in Great South Bay has environmental experts greatly concerned

Scientists say the state’s coastal waters weathered some serious environmental and public health threats last year.

“A record number of spots with low oxygen,” said Christopher Gobler, a professor of coastal ecology and conservation at Stony Brook University.

“No Time to Waste” research

Gobler’s research, called “No Time to Waste,” is a call to action and also a warning not to swim with an open wound in waters where salt and fresh water meet. He says harmful algae blooms and dead zones are not just harming marine life, but also endangering pets and humans. Flesh-eating bacteria that used to be confined to southern states is now here.

“In 2023, it showed up in New York. There were three people who died on Long Island Sound. And in doing monitoring, we are finding it in most water bodies, [with the] highest levels in the heat of summer,” Gobler said.

Gobler says the culprit is our area’s warming waters and too much nitrogen, mostly from underground aging and leaking cesspools.

However, there is funding available to homeowners to upgrade them.

“It’s critically important, especially if you live close to the water. And the state and the counties are actually giving people money. They’re giving grant money — you don’t need to pay it back — to change out your old antiquated septic and cesspool,” said Adrienne Esposito of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

Not all the news is bad There are some bright spots in Gobler’s annual research. For instance, the western Long Island Sound saw its dead zone shrink by 90% in two decades, due to upgrades in sewage treatments plants.

“They reduced nitrogen by 60% and the dead zone has been shrinking. It’s really a great success story. When action is taken, conditions can improve,” Gobler said.

Oysters, clams and kelp put into the waterways also pull nitrogen out of the water.

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 Adam Rife

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    KENOSHA, Wisconsin (WDJT) — Charges are now filed against the father of three children who lost their lives in a Kenosha apartment fire on Thanksgiving of last year.

Police say 39-year-old Joshua Kannin is charged with three counts of child neglect (consequence is death).

Rylee Levi, 10, Connor Liam, 9, and Alena Ellen, 7, died as a result of the fire that broke out near 43rd Ave. and 52nd St.

The children’s mother said the new details made her too emotional to speak on camera.

Additionally, investigators now believe they know how the fire started.

And there are a lot of factors, including the removal of smoke detectors, smoking in the house, and letting young children use the stove.

It led to a tragedy.

A search warrant revealed Joshua told investigators he woke up and saw “a little fire on the kitchen floor,” panicked and walked out the front door looking for help.

He reportedly said when he went back inside, the smoke was too thick and made worse by opening the door. Kannin was treated for smoke inhalation at an area hospital.

Plywood boards cannot hide the charred scars of the fire.

Gregory Rawls lives two doors down. He told us, “You just really don’t want to look at. I know there’s a lot of people don’t look at it because it’ll remind them of what happened.”

Rawls is reminded of it every day, but other neighbors couldn’t take it.

“Lady next door, that was their best friends. So they moved,” Rawls said. “They couldn’t even look at the building anymore. So they left.”

The Kenosha fire and police departments reviewed surveillance footage, witness statements, and fire investigation reports.

This week, authorities charged Joshua Kannin with three counts of child neglect.

Kannin told investigators he woke up, saw a small fire, yelled for the children to come downstairs, then he ran to get help. The children never made it out.

Their mother, Jourdan Feasby, did not live at the home.

She told police Kannin did not like to cook and described the eating situation as “fend for yourself in a sense.”

10-year-old Rylee told her that Kannin had taught him how to use the stove.

A complaint said Kannin’s apartment was a mess, with clutter everywhere, including a lot of items on the stove, like napkins.

Investigators believe the fire started when the 9 and 10-year-old boys went into the kitchen to make food while Kannin was asleep.

Investigators later found a rear stove burner appeared to be in the on position.

Additionally, Kannin admitted to law enforcement that he took down a smoke detector long before so he could smoke cigarettes in his kitchen, even though his lease said smoke detectors must be on the walls and functional at all times or he would be fined.

Rawls said, “Everybody is supposed to have smoke detectors in here. You’re not even really supposed to smoke inside these apartments. Most people come outside.”

Feasby said she told people about the missing smoke detectors multiple times, including Kannin’s mother and the property manager as early as the summer of 2024.

“There’s only so much I can do,” she said. “He [Kannin] doesn’t listen to me.”

The property manager told authorities they perform monthly checks of the smoke detectors in the apartment complex. But she said Kannin would never let them inside to check his alarms.

Despite the loss, there are small signs of life and growth outside.

Rawls pointed to new tulips growing under a boarded-up window. “I saw God’s work. Grew flowers. Flowers have never been there so that’s for the three babies that we lost.”

Detectives said there is no evidence suggesting the fire was set intentionally, according to the complaint.

We reached out to Joshua Kannin for an interview but did not hear back.

He has not been arrested but has been ordered to appear in Kenosha County court May 14th.

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.