Author: CNN Newsource

By Taylor Epps

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    BALTIMORE (WMAR) — Mystery solved in West Baltimore. A West Baltimore woman searching for the good Samaritan who rescued her stolen packages has found him and formed an immediate bond.

D. FitzGerald Smith, known by friends as Chip, wasn’t feeling well, so he went out for an early morning walk around 5 a.m. Sunday, when he spotted two people breaking into cars in his neighborhood.

“I see these individuals; they don’t see me. They actually go inside of a white SUV, and they took boxes out. At that point, they began to run, so I’m now yelling at them,” Smith said.

The thieves dropped the packages. Smith looked at the address on them and rang the doorbell at Cruz’s home, but she was asleep.

“I’m determined that this woman is going to get her packages back, I said ‘I’m not going to leave them here, I’m gonna pick them up and put them on her doorstep,'” Smith said. “To me, what I did is normal; this is not out of the ordinary for a man to do.”

Smith said it is simply how he was raised, and he was hesitant when people began calling him a hero. He eventually dropped a note in Cruz’s mailbox, and the two connected by phone.

That is when he learned the packages contained items the community had raised money to buy to improve a green space in the neighborhood.

When the two finally met in person, Cruz was overcome with emotion.

“You really, really came through, and I have to say, it’s really hard living here,” said Cruz. “Things like this really crush your spirit and chip at your happiness, but when you meet people like you, it brings back some faith in people.”

She gave him fresh sunflowers and a card to mark the occasion.

Cruz is not from Baltimore. She moved to the area because she heard there were good people here. Smith reminded her that there are. Now she knows he’s just a few blocks away.

“That’s it, we’re friends for life,” Cruz said. “I feel safer, I do. I met Chip, I’m good now,”

“And you are now, as I say, you are my sister,” Smith said.

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

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    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Eight-year-old Clara Riebe invented a dice game to solve a problem many families face on long road trips: too much screen time.

The game, “Road Trip Roll,” earned her second place among second-graders at the national Invention Convention in Dearborn, Michigan. She was one of 11 Iowa kids selected to compete nationally after participating with dozens of Lewis Central students in the school’s Invention Convention in February.

“I was, like, really excited and I did think I had a good chance,” Clara said.

Inspired by “I Spy,” players roll two dice — one with colors and one with letters — and try to match one or both as they look out the window. A point system keeps score. In Cochran Park, Clara and her brother, six-year-old Ben, demonstrated how they play. Pointing out objects that match the color and/or the letter represented on the dice. Rolling a “Purple” and “G,” they laughed realizing their grandma was wearing purple shirt — three points to Ben!

“Well, I was thinking of some sort of game or something to do on a road trip,” Clara said.

Clara’s TAG teacher, Melissa Taylor, encouraged the kids to invent something that solves a real-world problem. After looking into the issue, Clara says she learned the average child spends about six hours a day on screens. Playing a game in the car seemed like a way to reduce screen time.

Taylor says the inventions to not have to be high-tech.

“Clara’s is so simple, but what a life saver for young families taking long road trips,” she said.

The Invention Convention, Taylor says, is designed to build problem-solving skills in students.

“We want them to be able to solve problems, that’s the whole point. So, she solved the problem of not being able to have screens in the cars,” she said.

Lewis Central has a long history with Invention Convention, but it was Taylor’s first year leading students through the process.

“That kids are resilient, they’re reflective, they’re problem solvers and they really are going to be our future. I mean, they’re going to be the ones who solve the problems that we all have in more efficient ways,” she said.

About 300,000 kids participated in the Invention Convention across the United States this year. Lewis Central is working with the University of Iowa to continue expanding the program.

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

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    CALIFORNIA CITY, California (KERO) — Ten years after the killing of her daughter, Deverrie Schiller, Debi Fones returned to the place where she has spent years honoring her memory, unveiling a new symbol of remembrance while continuing her fight for justice.

“To the family and friends of my daughter’s killer… I am so sorry about your dad. I can only imagine. You have my deepest condolences,” Fones wrote in one of the many reflections she has written since Schiller was killed a decade ago.

Fones said writing has helped her cope with the loss while also giving a voice to a case that remains unsolved.

To honor her daughter’s memory, Fones continues finding new ways to help others. She has created more than 130 memorial coloring books for families who have lost loved ones, written children’s books about grief and most recently installed a Wind Phone.

The disconnected telephone allows people to speak to loved ones they have lost, hoping the wind will carry their words.

“I’ll see her again,” Fones said. “I just try to do things that would make her happy, make her proud of me.”

Surrounding the phone are diamonds bearing the names of other unsolved homicide and missing person cases in California City.

For Fones, the fight has never been only about her daughter.

“I just got to keep reminding people they’re out there, telling them their names,” she said. “So maybe some of you will figure something out sooner or later, hopefully.”

Ten years later, Fones believes her daughter’s case is not stalled because of a lack of leads, but because of a lack of resources.

Retired detective Larry Brandenburg took over the case in 2018 but was laid off in 2024 as part of budget cuts.

“He only had a little bit more to do,” Fones said. “He said that he knew he would have enough to take it to the DA, and they would take it, but they fired him.”

Fones said that decision left her family without answers.

“Yeah, killers are walking free because the city can’t afford to investigate,” she said.

Despite the years that have passed, Fones said she still believes someone knows what happened.

“Not unless someone comes forward,” she said. “And that means in 10 years, nobody has yet. I guess it’s a little bit of hope someone will come forward. But even if they do, does the city have the budget to continue the investigation?”

While Fones said justice may never feel complete, she hopes her advocacy can prevent another family from enduring the same pain.

“There’s no such thing as justice,” she said. “What there is, is the possibility that he won’t be able to put another family through this.”

Anyone with information about Deverrie Schiller’s case or any of the other unsolved cases in California City is asked to contact the California City Police Department at (760) 373-8606.

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 Claire Graham

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — There’s something special happening on a baseball field on the east side of town. They say “If you build it, they will come,” and in this case, “they” means a few dozen seniors, and for one of them, his son.

Having a catch is a right of passage for any father and son. For the Tucson Old Timers baseball club, it’s a chance to take the field again.

“My dad’s 81, so he’s been out here 20 years, kind of knows the turf, and so I’m a rookie this year,” said 61-year-old Michael Price. He’s a battalion chief for Golder Ranch Fire, and plays first base for the league.

For him and his dad, Dan Price, playing baseball is reconnecting the thread that has tied them together for decades, rather than pining for their younger years of playing ball.

“I had to wait till I was 60 to be here, because it is a 60 and over league,” Michael explained.

“It’s the only organization that’ll have a 60 year old playing against an 80 year old. It doesn’t happen very often,” Dan laughed.

They’re only the second father and son duo to play together since the Tucson Old Timers league started in 1968. They’re currently the oldest player and the youngest player on the roster.

Dan Price is retired now, but his career spanned a few industries, most recently working as a sports journalist and writer. He has written several books about baseball, and he’s the historian for the Tucson Old Timers, keeping track of players’ stats, and sharing stories about the team and other local senior athletics on his blog.

One post that stands out is what he wrote about the first father and son team, Brad and Tim Tolson.

Now, it’s Dan and his own son filling those shoes. Sometimes they suit up on opposing teams, with Michael occasionally making the catch to get his dad out at first. Other times, they’re on the same team, pulling off plays that only come from having that special connection beyond the field.

“I think my first or second game, we turned a double play a couple of different times,” Michael recalled. “I don’t think very many father-son combinations get a chance to do that or experience that.”

It’s the muscle memory of moments past, with a love for the sport passed down between generations.

“I mean, it goes all the way back to tee ball, you know. We could barely walk, we had a glove and a bat in our hands,” Michael said, as his dad shared the same thought.

“Putting the ball in their hand for the first time, it’s amazing playing with them,” Dan said. “Now I’ve got two great-grandkids, they’re not even big enough to hardly hold the ball, but they do.”

“That’s where I first started learning how to play baseball, and pretty much played for the next 16,18 years,” Michael said. “We teamed back up again a couple years later, well, a couple decades later, I should say, and played in a 40 and over team together for a couple years. I haven’t played in about 10 years.”

“We’ve had a couple guys play into their 90s,” Dan explained. “I feel ancient sometimes. Sometimes I feel young. When we walk between the lines, we all think we’re 20 years old again.”

From Michael’s tee ball team Dan coached in the 60s to their recent visit to the actual Field of Dreams in Iowa together, it has been for a game that’s always served as redemption and connection. Now, they’re together again, three days a week at Udall Park, at bat, in the field, and in the dugout of life, side by side.

“I’m out here for me, but predominantly for my dad,” Michael said. “I think it means a lot to him for me to be out here with him. I would love to be out here with my boy, but I don’t know if that’s possible, it’s going to be a few more decades before that happens.”

“Playing with the boys is great,” Dan echoed. “Hope I’m around to play with my great grandson, but I got to live to be 100 to do that.”

“It’s a good opportunity for us to spend some time together and play America’s pastime,” Michael said.

The Tucson Old Timers, also known as the TOTs, play baseball year round. The league is open to anyone, 60 and older, whether you’re actually playing ball, serving as an umpire, or keeping score. They start out Monday, Wednesday and Fridays with a practice, followed by their games which are usually at 9am, but switch to 8:30 in the summer. The group has a few players who have played serious baseball, Dan Price for one played in college. Their roster is full of retired doctors, lawyers, teachers, fighter pilots, firefighters and more, each one with a love for the game.

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 JJ McKinney

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — Catholic bishops from across the Southwest gathered in Nogales on Friday for Border Mass 250, a service centered on faith,migration, and human dignity.

Catholic dioceses from the U.S. and Mexico preached to a united congregation on the state of the country, focusing on the plight of immigrants just ahead of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Tucson Bishop James A. Misko led the congregation in prayer with a message of support to immigrants across the Catholic faith.

“First and foremost, the human condition is a migrating experience. Humans have been migrating for centuries. For hundreds of thousands of years, people have been migrating to improve their lives,” Misko said.

Bishop Misko and the diocese from across the southwestern United States gathered at the Nogales border as a show of unity within the congregation.

Deacon Robert Vigil of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe said the gathering carried a message of solidarity.

“I think tonight is going to be a good representation of solidarity, that people are people, and we all need each other,” Vigil said. “So I think tonight’s going to be a sign of hope, especially for our immigrant community, who is struggling and continues to struggle.”

The meeting of faith came after the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump Administration to end Temporary Protected Status for thousands of asylum seekers on Thursday, scaling back protections for immigrants.

Misko addressed the Church’s position on border policy directly.

“The Church holds to be true is that nations do have a responsibility and a right to manage their borders,” Misko said. ” The Church has never been for open borders, but rather the Church is for borders being managed properly.”

At the end of the service, Misko led the congregation to the border to join hands with the dioceses in Nogales.

While Misko and church leaders acknowledged sovereign borders, they emphasized that the Church and the country should treat each other with grace.

“The Church always holds to be true that human dignity is the very foundation of migration. And so we do hold to be true that nations should manage their borders based on human dignity, on the care of the human person,” Misko 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 Tiarra Braddock

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    DETROIT (WXYZ) — Glenn Bradley lost his 14-year-old daughter, Aamina Bradley, after she drowned in the Detroit River on Saturday.

According to Detroit police, Aamina’s body was recovered from the river at Maheras-Gentry Park on Detroit’s east side.

Bradley said his family was at a graduation party at the park when Aamina and her 9-year-old cousin went near the water. The cousin fell in, and Aamina jumped in to save her.

“Aamina, she loved the water, I’d take her to the pool, she would swim, different things like that, they’d play games.. just in a river, in that type of setting, in that current, it pulls you out,” Bradley said.

Bystanders were able to pull the 9-year-old cousin from the water.

Bradley said he went into the water to help his daughter but was unable to save her.

“Her last words were ‘dad help me’, she looked at me. When I went out there, she disappeared, she went under and never came back up. Somebody had to save me because I was drowning,” Bradley said.

Bradley said Aamina’s death has been very hard on her siblings as well.

“Everybody tore up but they maintaining,” Bradley said.

Bradley said Aamina loved her family and dreamed of becoming a scientist when she grew up.

“My daughter was my baby girl, she was my everything so right now I’m numb. The people you love, you have to cherish them because you never know,” Bradley said.

“At the end of the day, my daughter, she was a warrior, she had a beautiful heart,” Bradley said. “She had the most beautiful smile.”

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

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    CLARKSTON, Michigan (WXYZ) — Nearly 40 years after a retired teacher began dreaming of a safe, permanent place for his son with special needs to live, that dream has become a reality — thanks to a former student and a generous community.

Dick Moscovic taught high school for 47 years. One of his students was Mike Hoeksema, who credits his former trades teacher with setting the course of his life.

“I have a high school teacher that I’m friends with today. How many people have a high school teacher they’re friends with?” Hoeksema said.

Moscovic taught Hoeksema to build homes from the ground up, starting in 1980. Hoeksema still calls him Mr. Moscovic to this day.

“Every day he’d look you in the eye and smile… and say, it’s going to be a good day,” Hoeksema said.

When Moscovic’s third son, Drew, was born, Hoeksema saw a change in his mentor.

“He took some time off and came home from Drew’s birth and you could see his bubble had burst,” Hoeksema said.

Drew was born with special needs. Moscovic said the experience reshaped him.

“It’s a different level of love for your child when you have a handicapped child. You don’t take anything for granted. You get through it,” Moscovic said.

Now in his 40s, Drew has been what his father calls his greatest teacher — of patience and endurance.

Moscovic, a licensed builder, went on to found Drew’s Home of Clarkston, a nonprofit with a mission to provide a safe, permanent home for people with severe disabilities. A year and a half ago, the nonprofit purchased an apartment building, now known as Drew’s Home of Clarkston, and got to work making it accessible — expanding doorways and replacing bathtubs with accessible showers to accommodate Drew and nine residents with severe disabilities.

Everything, from the cabinets to the building as a whole, is funded through community donations.

The residents are known throughout the community. Moscovic said Drew, whose smiling face has made him a neighborhood fixture, is recognized wherever he goes.

“If he goes to the grocery store, I bet there will be four or five people who say hi to him at least,” Moscovic said.

The residents also contribute to their own quality of life through a can drive that generates funds for recreation and education.

“Gives them an opportunity to do something other than sit on the couch,” Moscovic said.

At 10 cents a can, the crew has accumulated a $10,000 fund for activities like music and dancing.

Drew has a permanent lease at the home — with no end.

“He’ll be here until the end,” Moscovic said.

“Through the end of his time,” Hoeksema said.

Hoeksema now serves as building manager, dedicating his time to the teacher who once asked him for help.

“I jumped in and said, ‘OK. What do we need?'” Hoeksema said.

He makes sure everything is in working order — from the security cameras in case of a slip or fall, to caretakers staying in rooms across the hall. It is a mission that began with Drew and has only grown.

“What would I say to him? I love you immensely,” Moscovic said.

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

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    PONTIAC, Michigan (WXYZ) — Thousands of car enthusiasts are in Pontiac this weekend for the 54th annual Pontiac-Oakland Club International — a convention the state has only hosted twice in its history.

The timing is no coincidence, as this year marks 100 years since the Pontiac brand was introduced.

Among those making the trip is 83-year-old Gary Cummings, who drove his 1937 Pontiac 2,446 miles from his home in Seattle, Washington to Pontiac, Michigan for the centennial celebration.

“They would honk at me, and I would [pushes horn] honk at them,” Cummings said.

“Like the Pontiac factory, it wasn’t one employee who built the car, and it hasn’t been one person to keep the car running. It’s with friends, and I’m giving back to my friends by driving out here,” Cummings said.

The car holds a lifetime of memories. Cummings’ girlfriend — who would later become his wife — found it at a yard sale.

“I actually purchased it for $175… He wanted $300 for it, which is still a great price. But I told him, I can’t afford it. Remember, this is 1961 dollars,” Cummings said.

The very next day, he drove that Pontiac to his high school graduation. The car went on to become a fixture in his family’s life.

“I used it as our only car when got married, our honeymoon, and for two children brought them home in the car. So it is truly a family car,” Cummings said.

Cummings made the six-day cross-country journey with a good friend. The trip wasn’t without its challenges — the two dealt with a dead battery along the way — but a good Samaritan stepped in to help.

“There’s lots of people out there to help you when you need it,” Cummings said.

Cummings made it to Pontiac just in time for this weekend’s festivities, which include a parade in downtown Pontiac Friday night and a car show at the Oakland Expo on Saturday.

The Pontiac Transportation Museum organized the event. Terry Connolly, the museum’s board chair, encouraged people to visit.

“This city has a wonderful legacy in car culture, and come and visit the Pontiac Transportation Museum as well. You can see it all on the floor in air conditioned comfort,” Connolly said.

Connolly also spoke to the enduring appeal of the Pontiac brand.

“As you may have found out talking to people, Pontiac has probably the largest following of any retired brand of automobile,” Connolly said.

For Cummings, the car is a time capsule in more ways than one — carrying both his personal stories and a piece of living history.

“When I get into the car, and I’m able to feel the transmission when I shift, and look out the window, and see the emblem, the Pontiac Indian head, I feel like I’m in a time machine, traveling back in time,” Cummings said.

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

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    BATTLE CREEK, Michigan (WXMI) — Anne Barea has found a second act that is changing lives — one puppy at a time.

The Battle Creek woman retired after more than 30 years at Kellogg and found herself at a crossroads.

“I was starting to think, what am I going to do next?” Barea said.

The answer came on four paws. Barea began raising puppies for Paws With A Cause, a nonprofit that provides custom-trained working dogs that bring confidence, comfort, and life-changing support.

She has since raised 7 puppies, training each for more than a year as they begin their journey to becoming service dogs.

“I believe so much in their mission,” Barea said. “And, just knew I wanted to work with dogs.”

It all started with a dog named Jordy.

“He was our first dog. He ended up going to a woman in New York City,” Barea said.

The dogs that followed have gone on to serve people across the country in a variety of roles. Austin became a facility dog at an elementary school in Three Rivers. Tiger is with a little girl with autism in Pennsylvania.

Jeter became an electronic storage detection dog. Bogey went to a man in New Jersey. Oscar is serving a veteran in Michigan. Jingles, her 7th dog, is currently continuing his training in a Michigan prison.

That leaves Wallace — her 8th dog, a black lab currently in her care.

“The more I learned about Paws, and the more dogs I got, the more I just fell in love with Paws,” Barea said.

For Barea, the mission is personal.

“I do have [multiple sclerosis], one of the things that really drove me also to go to Paws, because I thought, how cool would it be if I could raise a puppy that went to a person with MS,” Barea said.

The hardest part of the work is saying goodbye.

“I always say it’s like sending your kid to college, right?” Barea said.

But hearing from the people her dogs go on to serve makes it easier.

“It makes it easier as we go along, you know, we hear more and more stories. They get in touch with me a lot of the time. They’ll see on Facebook that I turned my puppy in, and I’ll hear from a few of them, either with a text or a Facebook, and just say, ‘Hey, thanks again for doing this. Thank you for changing my life,'” Barea said.

Barea’s commitment to Paws With A Cause has grown beyond raising puppies. She launched a charity golf tournament in 2022 that raises roughly $10,000 each year.

“We are really trying to make it number one, fun, number two, a chance for people to learn about Paws,” Barea said.

Along the way, Barea has also become a professional dog trainer — trading one career for a new calling.

“It’s life changing for us as well,” Barea said.

She has no plans to slow down.

“I will be involved with Paws Forever. I will tell you that,” Barea said.

The effort has become a family affair. Barea’s daughter serves as a finisher home, helping raise the puppies as they prepare for advanced training.

Barea’s annual fundraiser, the Battle Creek Classic, is set for July 11 at Binder Park Golf Course (7255 B Dr S, Battle Creek, MI 49014)

As the FOX 17 and Lake Michigan Credit Union Pay it Forward Person of the Month, Barea receives a $250 prize.

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