Author: CNN Newsource

By Laurie Perez

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    CARSON, California (KCAL, KCBS) — There’s a growing trend in the funeral industry called casket wrapping, which offers decked-out, decorated coffins.

One South Bay couple shares how they blend creativity with compassion through their business, Parting Wishes, helping families fulfill their loved ones’ wishes.

For Chastity and Douglas Mulipola, a casket is a canvas. With a computer and a digital cutting machine, they create and apply vinyl wraps, just like the ones for cars, except these are for your loved one’s final vehicles.

“It truly is heart work, cause it’s a lot of heart that goes into it,” Chastity said.

They post the gallery of their work on social media, showing their trademark blend of photos and ethnic design, as visual storytelling is part of their Polynesian heritage.

“We’re Samoan and our people, we put tribals on everything…,” Chastity said, and they have put just about anything you can imagine on the exterior of metal, wood, and even cloth caskets destined for cremation.

Each job begins with a conversation about the life they are helping to celebrate.

“We ask them about their loved one, what they liked, what they were into, their favorite colors.” They say football team designs are popular, as well as the typical heavenly clouds.

“Whether I’m designing it or she’s designing it, I could be doing it late at night, and you know, I start to get a little emotional here and there, you know, just cause memories of the person,” Douglas said.

They started making casket wraps seven years ago, and it has taken them across the country, from Texas and Utah to Washington and Hawaii.

Start to finish, it takes a few days and costs anywhere form $1,500 to $3,000 and up.

“You really feel good about yourself helping that family send their loved one off right,” Douglas 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 Nick Lunemann

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    STILLWATER, Minnesota (WCCO) — A Minnesota family is sharing its story after a backyard barbecue ended with emergency surgery for their son.

Noah Walden said he unknowingly swallowed a tiny wire bristle from a grill cleaning brush while eating a hamburger on May 26, the day after Memorial Day. The burger had been cooked on his family’s backyard grill.

He didn’t notice anything unusual while eating. About three days later, he began experiencing stomach pain that continued to worsen over the next several days.

On June 3, Walden went to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed the metal bristle had become lodged in his bowel and had begun puncturing his intestine.

The following day, June 4, doctors performed emergency surgery, removing about three inches of his bowel.

Walden said he spent two days hoping the object would pass on its own before learning surgery was necessary. He remained hospitalized until June 7.

His mother, Amie Walden, said the family immediately threw away its wire grill brush after learning what caused the injury.

She now encourages others to replace wire bristle brushes with safer alternatives, saying the tiny metal wires can be difficult to see if they break off and remain on a grill.

The Waldens hope sharing Noah’s experience will help prevent another family from facing a similar medical emergency.

Earlier this year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 13 million Weber and Nexgrill wire brushes. The commission recommends switching to a non-wire alternative like wooden scrapers, a steam cleaner or a rolled-up ball of aluminum foil.

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 Daniel V. Ramirez

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    REXBURG, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — A 22-year-old man is facing an arson charge after police say he lit multiple fires in a home because he believed God asked him to.

Preston Blaine Rossberg is charged with one felony count of first-degree arson, which carries the possible punishment of up to 25 years in prison or a fine of up to $100,000.

EastIdahoNews.com reached out to Rossberg’s attorney, Jeromy Stafford, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. We will update if we hear back.

According to court documents, on May 9, officers with the Rexburg Police Department received a call from a home in the 100 block of Rosewood Drive; the caller identified himself as Rossberg.

Rossberg told dispatch that “he lit his house on fire because God had told him to,” the police booking affidavit states.

When police officers arrived at the home, they located Rossberg and detained him. The officers say he also told them that he started the fire because “God had told him to.”

Police say Rossberg informed them that the house belonged to his parents, who were out of state at the time.

Asked how he lit the fire, Rossberg reportedly said that he found a lighter and used it to light multiple fires in the home, both upstairs and downstairs.

The officers said they took Rossberg to Behavioral Health Center for a mental evaluation, and a warrant for his arrest was obtained upon his release.

EastIdahoNews.com previously reported that the fire caused an estimated $400,000 in damage.

The 22-year-old man had his first court appearance last week and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. on July 8 before Magistrate Judge James Howard Barrett Jr.

Though Rossberg has been charged with this crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

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 Kathryn Merck

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — Those who knew Bob Uecker said he was larger than life. With the completion of an 80-foot by 100-foot mural with his face on it, it proves exactly that.

A tailgate-themed celebration on Tuesday, June 30, marked the completion of “Mr. Baseball,” by Mauricio Ramirez. The mural depicts Bob Uecker in his renowned role as play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers – a position held by Uecker for 54 seasons.

“I’ve painted all over the country for the past 10-15 years and I have to say Milwaukee is my favorite city to paint in,” Ramirez said before he signed his completed work.

The party outside of the Wintrust building on Jackson St. in downtown Milwaukee included remarks from Mayor Cavalier Johnson, mural sponsors, Mauricio Ramirez, and representatives from the Milwaukee Brewers. Members of the Uecker family were also in attendance.

“His voice, his humor, his heart, all those things became a part of us, they all became a part of Milwaukee,” Johnson said.

As part of the program, Brewers Manager Pat Murphy and Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich shared memories of Mr. Baseball.

“Something Bob would probably get a good laugh at is that his face is blown up on a giant building in downtown Milwaukee,” Yelich said. “Mauricio did him justice, it looks amazing, it was really cool to be part of today.”

“People all over the country know him and he’s a national figure, but he’s ours,” Murphy said.

The first 500 guests of legal drinking age were able to enjoy a can of Miller Lite for a celebratory toast. 500 brats were also distributed.

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 Mythili Gubbi

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    PLEASANT VIEW, Utah (KSTU) — A family in Weber County never thought they would get to see the day their little boy would be back at a hospital for a happy reason. But on Tuesday, along with the people who saved him, they got to celebrate 7-year-old Elliot Ellis’ recovery in a special way.

The day after Christmas last year, a car hit Elliot, who was six years old at the time, outside his home in Pleasant View. That was the first time Diego Cruz with North View Fire District met little Elliot.

“Just seeing a little child underneath there in that condition, there was no question at that point, especially after we pulled him out, like we’re not just going to leave him,” said Cruz, who was the lead paramedic on that incident.

“It was the worst day of my life,” said Elliot’s mom, Lyndsey Ellis.

Elliot was transported to Ogden Regional Medical Center.

“We definitely left the ER that day not super hopeful of the outcome. We were prepared to hear some bad news, but it was just miracle after miracle,” Cruz told Lyndsey. “I’m really glad that he’s here now, and he’s just a normal kid.”

A kid who gets to have his whole life ahead of him — thanks to the paramedics and hospital staff who saved him. They got to celebrate his miraculous recovery on Tuesday and meet the little boy who has been on their minds for six months.

Cruz’s team visited Elliot in the hospital a few days after the accident and even showed him around the fire station after he recovered.

Lyndsey said Elliot does not have any brain damage. He did sustain some fractures, bruised lungs and a few gashes, but is still the beacon of joy he always was.

“He is unchanged and its absolutely amazing,” she said, beaming about her son. “He’s the most caring kid I know. When I’m having a bad day, Elliot’s the very first one to come find me and give me hug and just tell me he loves me.”

But there’s another hero in this story: Elliot’s older brother, Gus.

“I think he honestly had probably the most important role, getting us dispatched. There was no way we would have been able to help Elliot if we hadn’t been there,” Cruz said.

A few minutes after they went outside to play, Lyndsey said she heard Gus scream and knew something was terribly wrong.

“I turned to Gus and I said, ‘Where’s Elliot?’ and he said, ‘She hit him,’ and I got down on my hands and knees and he was in the wheel well of her car,” Lyndsey described.

North View Fire District presented Gus with a lifesaving award for being the reason first responders got there so quickly. They also opened “My-529” college savings accounts, made deposits for the boys, and gifted them a visit to the planetarium. They gave the boys adventures and set them up for their bright future, and they are so thankful Elliot gets to have one.

“We took Elliot to Lagoon the other day, and we were spinning around on the musical express and we were just laughing and laughing and laughing, and in those moments it’s really hard not to think that we almost didn’t get that,” Lyndsey said. “It’s beyond easy to be so very grateful for them.”

The first responders watched what was a devastating call turn into a beautiful, lifelong relationship.

“I don’t think there’s anything greater in this career,” Cruz said. “We all choose to do this job, and being able to experience something like this, I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life.”

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 EastIdahoNews.com staff

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    KENNER, Louisiana (eastidahonews.com) — A 75-year-old New Orleans man who legally changed his name to Santa Claus was among 11 people arrested during an undercover child exploitation operation over the weekend, according to the Kenner Police Department.

Investigators say Claus allegedly contacted an undercover detective through a dating app, believing he was communicating with a 15-year-old boy, according to a police department statement. During their conversations, Claus allegedly discussed engaging in sexual acts with the child before arranging to meet the juvenile in Kenner.

When Claus arrived at the predetermined meeting location, detectives arrested him without incident.

Police said Claus physically resembles the Santa Claus character and has portrayed the holiday figure, raising additional concerns because he allegedly sought to meet a child for sex.

“All these defendants are a danger to our youth and society,” Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said in a statement. “We preach daily about the vulnerability of our children on social media and gaming platforms, and now we have arrested a person who dresses up as Santa Claus inviting parents to drop their young children in his lap for photo ops. This is a cautionary tale to parents and guardians.”

Claus was booked on charges of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and indecent behavior with a juvenile.

The arrest was part of an undercover operation conducted by the Kenner Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division ICAC/Cyber Crimes team targeting people accused of attempting to exploit children online.

Police said the operation resulted in 11 arrests, 10 outstanding arrest warrants, 37 criminal charges and 21 individuals facing child exploitation-related charges

Authorities said the charges filed during the operation include computer-aided solicitation of a minor, indecent behavior with a juvenile and indecent behavior involving grooming.

“Anyone who uses the anonymity of the internet to exploit children should understand one thing—we are there too,” Conley said. “Our investigators will continue to identify these predators, build strong cases, and bring them to justice before they have the opportunity to victimize a child.”

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

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.