Author: CNN Newsource

By Kaley Fedko

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — A recent study revealed just how deep DeKalb County’s housing crisis runs, with thousands of families living in hotels.

A woman who was once forced into such a situation, but has since found help, is sharing her story with CBS News Atlanta.

The study, conducted by Georgia State University (GSU), Single Parents Alliance and Resource Center (SPARC), and community advocate Sue Sullivan, found over 4,600 people in DeKalb County, including 2,004 households and 1,635 children, were living in extended-stay hotels.

One new transitional housing project called Park at 500, the first of its kind in DeKalb County, is stepping in as a solution, offering apartments with free rent up to a year to families who qualify, and Kylisha Newberry is one of its inaugural beneficiaries.

Newberry told CBS News Atlanta that she lived in a hotel for eight months with her 5-year-old daughter.

She said she was forced out of her apartment and then was later hit with a $17,000 eviction judgment, a debt that kept her from renting.

“It was hard to cook, hard to really live because you have so much of a weight on your shoulders to where it’s unbearable, especially having your child in a one-bed hotel room,” Newberry said.

After hearing about the Park at 500 program through her daughter’s school counselor, she called Sue Sullivan, the program’s director.

“She said ‘the next time I call you, you will be getting keys to your new home,’ and sure enough, the next time she called me, she said come get your keys,” Newberry recalled.

Newberry and her daughter moved into their apartment right before Christmas.

She said she missed the little things that come with a home, especially spending time in her kitchen.

“This is the nicest kitchen I’ve ever had,” Newberry said,” I love baking cookies, like homemade cookies from scratch.”

Newberry is one of 60 approved beneficiaries living in an apartment in the Park at Somerset neighborhood through the program, which is at capacity according to Sullivan.

Sullivan told CBS News Atlanta she has been studying DeKalb’s housing issue for seven years, personally knocking on thousands of hotel doors.

In talking to families living in hotels, she found rent was increasing while wages were not, leaving many of them no other choice.

DeKalb County set aside $8 million in July 2025 to launch Park at 500.

Applications opened up in October, and families moved in in December.

She said she personally called the 60 families to tell them the news once they were approved.

“I called one mother; she was giving plasma when I called,” Sullivan said. “She was giving plasma so she would be able to pay for the room that night.”

The joint study with GSU and SPARC began in September and was presented to the DeKalb County Commission in January 2026 after the launch of Park of 500.

Even though there is currently a waitlist for Park at 500, Sullivan said the study proved the need is there and hopes Park at 500 will inspire similar programs.

“I would consider this the most beautiful solution,” Sullivan said. “It hasn’t been done before. It’s groundbreaking. My goal is to make this the best program out there, so it’s duplicated over and over again.”

DeKalb County District 3 Commissioner Nicole Massiah said the presentation of the data was eye-opening.

“I was aware it was going on, but just not how extreme it is,” Massiah said.

The presentation recommended other solutions to the commissioner, such as creating a housing task force, establishing a hotel-resident stabilization fund, and allowing housing investments in the county budget.

Massiah told CBS News Atlanta the presentation hit home for her.

“What was also interesting about the study is it was sharing the different markers and the demographics, and similar to what was provided in that study, I am a Black female who’s also a single mom,” she said. “Those are the demographics that were primarily affected and are affected when it comes to living in extended stays.”

While other concrete solutions have not been hammered out yet, Massiah said she is personally invested in the issue.

“We are not going to just throw solutions at the wall. We are going to listen,” she said.

It’s the beginning of progress in DeKalb County, and for Kylisha Newberry, a start to a new life.

“Never give up and always keep your head up. Your situation does not define you,” Newberry said. “We all go through things, and it’s a matter of time before we get that one open door.”

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 Riley Rourke, Juli McDonald

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    SHREWSBURY, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A man crashed a car into the police station in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, on Monday. Shrewsbury Police Chief Kevin Anderson said that the crash is believed to be intentional.

The 2022 BMW SUV crashed into the building just after 2 p.m., police said. The car went through the lobby and into the dispatch center, where three employees were working. No one in the station was hurt during the crash.

“We actually put two pylons out there to prevent people from hitting the building,” Anderson said. “Went through that, went through the front door, actually two doors, went through the lobby and then went through the wall of the dispatch center.”

The driver was taken into custody and brought to a nearby hospital with injuries. Chief Anderson said that the man is known to police, but they had not dealt with them since 2019. The Worcester County District Attorney’s office is reviewing possible charges.

He will be arraigned in Westboro District Court on Tuesday.

Video from WBZ-TV’s helicopter shows the vehicle through the building’s front door, with its hazards on. Debris could be seen scattered around the crash site as well.

“You just see two red blinking lights on a car that’s like tilted over through the front door of the police station. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s insane,” said Shrewsbury resident Tyler O’Keefe.

Police said they have surveillance video of the crash and are investigating how fast the car was going. The motive is not known.

The building will remain closed for the time being. Anyone looking to file a police report is asked to call 508-845-1212 or 911 in an emergency.

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 KPIX News Staff

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    SAN FRANCISCO, California (KPIX) — The sound of the drums filled Caltrain’s Celebration Train on Monday.

“I always say, if you play the drum, they will come,” said Grady Turner, a drum instructor with Parkmoore Drummers.

He and his friends performed on board the train from San Jose to San Francisco for the annual MLK Day march.

“We’ve been doing this since back in the day, since the 90s, but now we added drummers,” Turner said. “It’s important because we represent peace, we try to follow Martin Luther King’s legacy. And what we do is, we just make people feel good.”

The Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation hosts the Celebration Train. Since 1985, it has been offering free rides to and from San Francisco for people attending the march in the city.

“I’m taking my son,” said Alexis Parker, an English teacher from Sunnyvale. “I just really want him to see like the power of marches and the history and the community that happens here.”

This is her third year attending the march.

“I’ve seen a lot of my students facing danger out in the street, fearing for their families,” Parker said. “I am the advisor for the Black Student Union, we have a lot of conversations about what’s happening in the world and how it’s affecting us and the critical thinking that needs to happen.”

“It’s something that we should do more often for sure,” said Taryn Walker with the Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation. “Fighting for social justice, because it’s necessary being a woman.” She and Bay Area neighbors like Turner say they are proud to stand up together for their community.

“It makes me feel great, 110% great that everybody’s doing it together,” Turner 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 Logan Smith

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    DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — A Colorado man who served a decade-and-a-half prison sentence and wrote a book about his experience may be headed back to prison.

Charles Christopher Martinez was arrested Jan. 8 on bank robbery charges. The 48-year-old Arvada resident is suspected of being the person who held up the US Bank on Colorado Boulevard in Denver three days earlier.

Authorities say that robber, dressed in a bright orange jacket with “Tech Ops” wording on the back, demanded money from a teller and ran away. The jacket was found by responding officers.

The Denver Police Department and the FBI local office distributed surveillance photos of the robber hours after the incident.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed for CBS Colorado that Martinez was previously incarcerated for bank robbery in Colorado. He was also identified as the author of “The Life Of An Outlaw” published in 2018. The crime biography detailed Martinez’s bank robbery conviction. It also told about the criminal gang connections he used to survive detention in “some of the most ruthless and bloody prisons the American Justice system has to offer,” as stated on the book’s website.

Martinez later published at least one additional crime-based fiction novel before his recent arrest.

Martinez is currently in the Denver Jail awaiting a Feb. 3 court hearing on state charges. Bank robbery, however, is a federal offense, and the case will likely be transferred to a federal court in Denver.

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 Hunter Walterman

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    FORT MYERS BEACH, Florida (WFTX) — Ten years ago Dr. Amy Hilde-Philips made a promise to one of her patients. It was kind of an unusual request, but something she took seriously.

“People ask me, like, what is making you go?” Hilde-Philips told FOX 4 on Saturday. “And I’m like, I made a promise to a very special man.”

On Saturday, Philips went parasailing with 90-year-old Arnold Lokken on Fort Myers Beach to celebrate his birthday. This has become something of a tradition for Lokken, who everybody calls ‘Sonny,’

The U.S. Navy veteran first went parasailing with his granddaughter in Hawaii more than ten years ago. Then they did it again for his 80th birthday in Clearwater.

“At my age, if they’re still alive, they’re sittin’ in a La-Z-Boy rockin. What fun is that?” Sonny told FOX 4. “They need to get out here and get up in the air.”

The 90-year-old has a zest for life, Hilde-Philips said, that keeps him young at heart. Despite vision challenges, Sonny still drives a four-wheeler almost everyday.

“He has a positive attitude and he takes care of himself,” Hilde-Philips said. “That make a huge difference.”

Sonny returned the compliment, calling Hilde-Philips a “top-of-the line” doctor who has consistently cared for him the last 20 years.

Sonny last went parasailing ten years ago. His granddaughter suggested they do it again at 90.

Of course, Sonny said yes. But on one condition.

“He looked at me and said, if you get me to 90, you’re coming with me,” Hilde-Philips said.

And on Saturday, she kept her word. Sonny’s family arranged for Hilde-Philips to travel with them from Minnesota to Southwest Florida.

Sonny trekked into the Gulf on Saturday with Hilde-Philips and his granddaughter, Kaylee. Paradise Parasail whisked them away on a boat before launching them high above the water. FOX 4 tagged along for the trip and mic’d up Sonny as he cut through the bright blue sky.

“If these things fail, we don’t want to land on a shark,” Sonny said in the air.

Luckily, it was smooth sailing as the crew eventually reeled the trio back onto the boat. Sonny returned them to a heroes welcome on Fort Myers Beach. His family clapped and took photos as curious people stopped by and asked what happened.

“We’ve been talking about it, and thinking about it and planning it, and it was just fun that it got to happen,” Kaylee said. “Just super cool to celebrate this milestone for him.”

Sonny only had one complaint. He wished they were up in the air for a little longer.

“To go sailing with Kaylee and Amy, what could be better than that?” Sonny said. “There is nothing any better than that.”

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 Zach Boetto, Dean Fioresi

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    CHINO HILLS, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Ranchers in Chino Hills are voicing their frustrations over the potential dangers facing an animal sanctuary after a viral social media video led to a sudden explosion in popularity for the hiking trail nearby.

Helen McCoy Loop is a common area in Chino Hills with multiple hiking trails, including the Eucalyptus Trail. A recent video that garnered attention on TikTok, with nearly 100,000 likes and hundreds of other comments, highlights the trail and the animals one can encounter on the way.

Many of those animals belong to the Red Bucket Rescue and Sanctuary, which serves as a forever home to more than 100 horses, donkeys, ponies and other farm animals. Their caretakers say that each was saved from some form of abuse over the years.

“The environment that we create for them is one of peace and tranquility and safety,” said Susan Peirce, the president of the sanctuary.

She says that their tranquility has become a challenge in recent weeks because of that viral video, which has caused the trail to see a vast increase in popularity with families and hikers hoping to get an up-close look at the farm animals.

“We’ve had a lot of people wanting to feed the animals carrots, apples and throwing salads over the fence or scaring them,” Peirce said. “You know, thinking that it’s exciting for children to see the animals run, and that can be really dangerous for the horses and donkeys.”

She’s one of many in the community who never thought the trail would see so much attention. So much so that Chino Hills city leaders shared a trail etiquette reminder on their website and social media channels.

Additionally, ranchers in the community, including Peirce, have put up a series of educational signs to help educate families that are now visiting the area. As they work with the city to try and implement some protection for their operation, she’s hoping that those stopping by will keep the animals’ land safe.

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 Chierstin Roth

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    FORT COLLINS, Colorado (KCNC) — As the Denver Broncos punched their ticket to the AFC Championship for the first time in a decade, two Fort Collins neighbors had an experience they’ll never forget.

“He’s always doing stuff for everybody,” said Kevin Brown. “He’s always got his garage open in the neighborhood. He’s just that kind of guy that would bend over backwards and do anything for you.”

Paul Andrews has been dubbed the neighborhood “handyman” and the neighborhood “hero” for the way he shows up for his community.

“Without asking, he just came out and started helping me shovel the driveway, because my husband was at work,” said Kinsey Brown.

Andrews is also a Broncos superfan.

“Can you see it?” Andrews asked as she showed off the Broncos tattoo on his arm.

So, when Kinsey and Kevin landed tickets to Saturday’s game against the Bills, Kinsey knew there would be someone to whom it might mean more.

“I knew that I would have more joy and I’d have more fun, like seeing him get excited about it, and I would have fun at the game itself,” said Kinsey.

“Kinsey and I just thought, ‘Paul’s the man,'” Kevin added.

The ticket was Andrews’.

“I wasn’t expecting nothing,” he said. “I just heard him knocking on the door, and he asked me, and I said, Yeah, I’ll go.”

“He was like, ‘I might have to work that day, but I’m going to call him and tell him I’m not coming to work. I’m going to that game,'” Kevin added.

CBS News Colorado caught up with the group having breakfast together before the game. Hours later, the real fun began.

“Just to get out there, support the team, be a part of Bronco nation, is what it’s all about,” said Kevin. “To go there with great company, it’s just, it’s like you couldn’t ask for a better day.”

They cheered as the Broncos kept their Super Bowl hopes alive.

“I was screaming with everybody else,” said Andrews.

“Yeah, I think we’re about losing our voice here,” Kevin added.

Still, some moments are more important than wins and losses.

“It was a blessing, just a blessing,” said Andrews.

Andrews has been to a few Broncos games over the years, but he told CBS Colorado that Saturday’s win over the Bills was by far the best.

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 Conor Wight

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Hani Duglof and his brother Mohamad Duklef arrived in Minnesota looking for help in 2014. They’d left Libya, unable to find relief for a rare condition that threatens to leave their skin torn and blistered at even the slightest provocation.

After spending more than a decade studying, working and participating in clinical trials, Duglof found himself detained by ICE, unable to access the kind of food and care he needs.

The brothers say that it happened on Jan. 10 of this year. Duglof was driving in Wisconsin when he said that two ICE vehicles pulled him over. Duklef was on the phone with him, expecting a call back soon, assuming he had been pulled over for some kind of driving infraction.

Instead, Duglof found himself being taken to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Fort Snelling. He said that he was confused when ICE agents said that he no longer had legal status, given that he had been in the asylum process for the better part of a decade after first entering the country on a visitor visa.

“Since they handcuffed me, I felt like (I was) being treated like a criminal,” Duglof said. “They tried to take my fingerprints, but because of my condition, I don’t have fingerprints.”

Duglof and his brother have Epidermolysis Bullosa, or EB. Their skin is extremely fragile, causing it to tear easily. The condition also affects the esophagus, meaning Duglof can only eat soft foods. He said that the cramped concrete rooms of the Whipple building immediately caused his skin to blister.

Medical documents he says came from M Health Fairview Southdale’s emergency department show that officials at the Whipple eventually believed he needed additional care, taking him to the hospital after Duglof said he was at the Whipple building for about 13 hours. Doctors in the documents seem to note that Duglof was not in need of emergency medical attention, but recorded the fact that the agents who brought him to the hospital were concerned that they could not provide food that he could actually eat.

Duglof soon found himself back at the Whipple building regardless. He said that, at one point, he was placed in a room with standing water in the corner. Often, he said, his pleas for soft food were ignored.

“‘I’m sorry, this isn’t a five-star hotel,'” Duglof said one official told him.

Duklef said he had been working from the get-go with Duglof’s lawyer, the same lawyer who had been working on his asylum case for years, to get him released. He was freed on bond on Jan. 15, with a court case pending in February related to his asylum case. Duklef said that he often hears, or late, that people want immigrants to come in the right way; he said his brother was doing just that.

“Hani followed every single process legally,” Duklef said.

Duglof works as an IT specialist after studying at Saint Paul College, and was featured in school promotional material on a billboard and other advertisements. He said he’s nervous about returning to Libya, first applying for asylum after the country descended into civil war.

Duglof is one of the reported 2,500 people ICE said the agency has detained since the start of Operation Metro Surge in early December. The Department of Homeland Security and its leadership have repeatedly stated that the operation is targeting criminals who are in the country illegally. While the agency has listed dozens of names of people convicted of past crimes, hundreds of people are not publicly listed, nor are their alleged offenses.

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.