Author: CNN Newsource

By Lauren Pozen, Dean Fioresi

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    SHERMAN OAKS, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A pair of suspected thieves tunneled through the wall of a Sherman Oaks jewelry store early Saturday morning, and despite not having anything taken, the store’s owner is fed up with the constant crime plaguing the area.

“We are afraid. We can’t sleep. Night to morning, we watch the camera,” said the owner of Neda Jewelry. He said that he was alerted to activity inside of his store in the early morning, and watched as the thieves crawled across the floor before smashing credit card machines.

He says that they were able to gain entry by tunneling through a shared wall with the business next door.

“They went through the restroom to my restroom and came in,” he said. “Then the alarm went off.”

The owner says that the alleged burglars tried to get into the store’s safe, but were unable to do so. He also says that this isn’t the first time that the family-run business has been targeted, after they were hit in 2023 under similar circumstances.

“I covered my safe like, three, four times with heavy metals to make sure this time, not easy to be cut,’ he said.

The break-in is just the latest in a string of burglaries and attempted break-ins plaguing the San Fernando Valley. While it’s unclear if any of the incidents are connected, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that the trend is so concerning that she ordered extra deployment from Los Angeles Police Department patrols in the area, especially along Ventura Boulevard and the surrounding neighborhoods.

The store’s owner said that the crime isn’t just about the store, but also the emotional toll it’s taken on him and his family.

“I lost my father. He passed away when I was 2. I started working when I was 6, and you got everything in one night from me,” he said. “That’s not fair.”

LAPD officers said that the break-in is under investigation, as are a string of other attempted break-ins and burglaries, including one in Valley Glen on Wednesday night, and another at a Studio City home late Friday.

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 Terrance Friday

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    INDIAN RIVER, Michigan (WWJ) — Along the Sturgeon River near Indian River, Michigan, homes are damaged, and families are just now getting back inside.

CBS News Detroit met a couple that is still processing what happened after losing the majority of their personal belongings. It’s a situation that Alissa Hanel and her boyfriend, Dan Paull, never considered a possibility.

“It’s been terrible. It’s inconvenient, but at least we have somewhere to go right now,” Hanel said.

Hanel saw the damage flooding caused to her home for the first time on Friday.

“We’re just taking it one day at a time right now,” she said. “Everything is lost right now, you know what I mean; we don’t know what to do. We’ve had, like, donations from the chamber of commerce, and, like, girls from my work at Biggby were great. They brought me a whole bunch of stuff yesterday.”

Hanel says she’s shocked and feels helpless, but life doesn’t stop. Hanel still has to go to work and keep going as she figures out what comes next.

“We have to. We need the money, and right now, it’s so hard to find a place to live here anyway, so it’s very scarce everywhere. And then to lose everything, so when we get a place, what do we put in it?” the couple said.

It’s a devastating loss for the couple, but Hanel and Paull say they are just glad they have their lives.

For now, the couple will continue living out of a motel until they can find a more permanent solution. In the meantime, they’ve launched an online fundraising account in hopes of receiving some 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 Ray Campos

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — One of the last remaining nonalcoholic bottle shops in Minneapolis is at risk of closing, its owner said, joining a wave of similar businesses that have shut down this year.

Marigold in south Minneapolis is now one of the last remaining shops dedicated to nonalcoholic drinks. Marigold’s St. Paul location closed its doors in late March, leaving owner Erin Flavin’s shop in uncertainty.

Flavin opened Marigold in 2022, after purchasing the building from her landlord, where she operated Honeycomb Salon. Before the purchase of the building, she decided to be sober, as she had already been operating at Honeycomb Salon for 16 years.

“I have been sober for five years,” said Flavin. “Not having that ceremony that you love at the end of the day, cooking and having a bottle of wine was something I really missed.”

Already selling nonalcoholic drinks at her salon, she realized that there was a lack of options for people like her who wanted to socialize without alcohol. When she purchased the space that houses Marigold, Flavin saw it as an opportunity to create a space for herself and others who shared that need.

“Lines were out the door,” said Flavin. “We were really surprised when we first opened because we had so many people who were like,’ I don’t know if this is going to work, Erin.'”

The opening was a huge success and just a year later, Flavin opened up her St. Paul location.

“Never in my wildest dream did I think that something that was this important to me would have taken off the way it did,” said Flavin.

However, two years ago, she saw a shift that would end up being what she calls the “downfall of Marigold.”

“Brands ended up in liquor warehouses so they got mass distribution,” said Flavin.

Sales of alcohol-free beverages have been on the rise as more consumers are reducing their alcohol intake. Larger retailers, including restaurants and liquor stores, have started to stock nonalcoholic drinks, making it harder to compete with smaller shops.

The rising popularity of nonalcoholic drinks pushed people to convenience over these specialty shops, ultimately leading Flavin to close her shop in St. Paul in late March

After the closing, Flavin took to Instagram, pleading for others to shop at local stores. She said that the store’s survival hinges on community support.

“The message I put on Instagram has reminded people that we’re here and we’re going to continue being here. I don’t want to pivot away from this business,” Flavin said.

Flavin says she is left with few options and has weighed closing the shop and reopening possibly as a nail salon, but says that this community is too important to give up on.

“I’m facing a lot of debt due to trying to stay competitive and trying to keep products on the shelf that people love,” said Flavin. “Hearing how important it is to the community and how important it is to me. I don’t want to close.”

Marigold ships nonalcoholic beverages and sells THC drinks and local crafts.

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 Doug Myers, Giles Hudson

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    TEXAS (KTVT) — A North Texas man reported missing earlier this week was found dead Friday, and police say a co‑worker has confessed to fatally shooting him and stealing his car.

The suspect, Gregory D. Lewis, 34, remains in custody and faces a forthcoming capital murder charge, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.

Lewis is accused of killing 31‑year‑old Thomas King, who had been last seen in his Taco Casa work uniform. King was reported missing on Tuesday after failing to return home Monday from the fast‑food restaurant in the 1100 block of Bridgewood Drive.

Police said King’s car was found at the Quality Inn on I‑20 in Arlington, and surveillance video showed Lewis arriving in King’s vehicle shortly after King left work.

Detectives identified the man in the video and arrested him on unrelated charges.

King’s body was located on Friday in an open field on Fort Worth’s East Side, authorities said.

According to police, Lewis confessed to shooting the victim and stealing his car.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.

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 Barry Pintar

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Terrible Towel is a symbol of celebration known around the world, but it was recently taken to new heights.

Allen Dean, a Steelers fan from Sewickley, recently took a Terrible Towel with him as he climbed Mt. Everest.

“I had to show myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to,” says Dean, who spoke with KDKA-TV’s Barry Pintar after his climb from Pokhara, Nepal, near Mt. Everest. “By doing that, I was an example to my kids that, through all the hardships our family has gone through, if you put your mind to something, you can do it, and if it is something as big as Everest, whatever it is, that if you put your mind to it, you can do it.”

Allen says a man called “Big Mike” was a long-time father figure who died a few months ago. His window gave Allen Big Mike’s Terrible Towel. It was then, by way of tribute, that an idea was born.

“She asked me, ‘Allen, would you be able to take the terrible towel to Everest if you make it?’ I said, ‘Absolutely, for Big Mike, anything,'” Dean recalled. “Big Mike was like my last father figure that I had around, so it meant a lot to me to just bring peace. It just meant a lot to me to finalize the loss of such a male role model in my life.”

Allen says he trained vigorously for this climb, often spending weekends taking his kids to hike just about every regional state park imaginable.

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 Steve Maugeri

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    SOUTH FLORIDA (WFOR) — Steven Maclean, a long-haul truck driver, says he has spent $2,500 more on fuel this past month hauling supplies from Canada to South Florida and across the U.S.

“You don’t plan for anything extra, that’s for sure,” Maclean said. “You barely pay yourself”.

Maclean noted he has seen different diesel prices in each state he has traveled to. As of Saturday, AAA reported Florida’s average diesel fuel price at $5.54 a gallon.

“Florida’s price is the best now that I’ve seen,” Maclean said. “Maine, like a month ago, was $5; now it’s up to $6, I think”.

The conflict in Iran continues to impact fuel prices. Al Hanley, who is with a CDL school that trains truck drivers, teaches techniques to limit fuel usage.

“Idle time is a killer, so if they’re stuck in traffic, and the truck is running and it’s doing miles, that hurts them,” Hanley said. “Planning your routes better—maybe operating at different times of the day, overnights, or weekends—and maybe not driving during rush hour if they can avoid it”.

Hanley said it is hard to tell how much this will impact the freight industry because fuel prices have fluctuated almost daily.

AAA data shows Miami’s average diesel price is $5.52 a gallon, 3 cents less than yesterday, but this price range is significantly higher than the average of $3.43 a gallon this time last year.

Trucking companies often buy fuel in bulk, but the price they pay one day could be higher than the price the next day, Hanley said.

“It’s called a short squeeze,” Hanley said. “They’re having to get a higher price today and receive it at a higher price than it is really in the market”.

Hanley believes that if drivers use his tips, they could save thousands in gas a year, noting that trucks carrying heavy loads over long distances usually have poor gas mileage.

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 Paul Burton

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — The Boston Marathon is now just hours away for about 30,000 runners from around the world who have been training months for this day.

“It’s my first time running Boston. It is incredible to be here,” said runner Tracey Hasse who came in from the United Kingdom.

Athletes and their families and friends have been all over Boylston Street near the finish line this weekend, getting their race numbers and some swag at the runners expo at the Hynes Convention Center.

“It’s as much as part of the tradition as anything anymore, like buying an official race jacket,” said runner Mike Moon, who’s visiting from Canada. This will be his 28th Boston Marathon.

“In fact, I’m going to write a book and it’s going to be called just ‘Why?’ Why would you do this every year? This is 28, don’t know if this will be the last,” Moon said.

Hasse came to Boston with six family members and friends

“My running journey started with just a challenge and it’s taken me all over the world. I am about to become a six-star finisher here after three years. I started running and never stopped running,” she said.

Jason Hoberman of New Jersey is one of the thousands of runners raising money for charity. He’s running on behalf of his wife who recently beat leukemia.

“I joined the Blood Cancer United team to support blood cancer research. Because of research she was able to get through this and here she is,” Hoberman said.

“Never give up hope and keep fighting for your family and what you believe in and stay positive and hopefully research continues and we can put an end to all these horrible diseases,” his wife Tracey Hoberman said.

There were also crowds of runners at the Fan Fest in City Hall Plaza.

“This is a celebration for both the runners and the non-runners. Food, entertainment, activities for kids. We’ve got activities for adults,” event organizer Scott Halstead said.

The Boston Marathon starts just after 9 a.m. Monday in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The 26.2-mile course runs through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline. It ends on Boylston Street in Boston. This will be the 130th running of the race.

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 Thompson, Ashley Paul, JT Moodee Lockman

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A man was arrested after he was injured by a self-inflicted gunshot wound while committing a robbery at Towson University on Thursday, according to school officials and Baltimore County police.

Around 9:15 p.m., Towson University Police were called for possible gunshots fired in a stairwell in Tower C in the 150 block of Cross Campus Drive.

They arrived to find an injured man who was taken to a local hospital with a self-inflicted, non-life-threatening gunshot wound, officials said.

During their investigation, county and school police determined that the injured man was not a student at the university. Officers said he fired the weapon, hitting himself in the lower body.

According to county police, the shooting occurred as the man was committing a robbery. No other injuries were reported.

Charges are pending, and the investigation is ongoing, police said. This appears to have been an isolated incident, according to officials.

“Firearms are strictly prohibited on TU’s campus, and an immediate after-action review is underway,” school officials said.

The incident comes as the university prepares for its annual TigerFest weekend event.

“I was standing over there around that pavilion, and I’m hearing somebody shot themselves and I’m like, ‘Huh?’ So I walked up the stairs and saw endless cop cars, endless ambulances, I didn’t know what was going on,” said a freshman named Mack.

Video taken by students showed the enormous response on the 150 block of Cross Campus Drive after police responded.

“It was just kind of scary because you don’t know what’s happening. All you know is shots are fired, someone got shot. And I’m like, oh my God, that’s actually insane,” said junior Edwardina Beeko.

Another student video showed the suspect being loaded onto an ambulance.

“It’s like dang, a random dude could just come in there with a gun, and you would never know. What if the dude wasn’t robbing someone but wanted to kill people, wanted to shoot the school up, or something? I don’t feel safe,” said Mack.

Students say residents of the dorm are required to swipe their Towson student ID card to get into the building, and any guests must be signed in by someone who lives there.

The desks are manned by community center assistants, who are often students themselves, not security guards.

“I’m not going to frisk anyone, we’re not like actual security,” said Beeko and junior Nancy Ekpo. “As a CCA, I’m very aware of safety and who comes in and out. I feel like we’re such a public base, I feel like me, in the back of my mind…we don’t have metal detectors or guards patting anyone down, you want to hope that nobody ever thinks to do this, but for me, I’m always like it’s a possibility.”

Right now, it’s unclear if the suspect was signed into the building or if he had an intended target.

Anyone with information is asked to call 410-887-INFO.

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.