Customer dies after fighting with workers at phone vendor stand

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Kassia Bonesteel

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    ANTIOCH, California (KPIX) — A fight that broke out between a customer and the employees of an outdoor phone vendor stand in Antioch led to the death of the customer over the weekend, authorities said.

On June 9, Antioch police officers responded to the Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services building at 4545 Delta Fair Boulevard just before 2:40 p.m. following reports of an assault. When they arrived, officers learned that a customer at the vendor stand had been involved in a verbal and physical fight with employees of the stand and had fallen to the ground during the altercation, the Police Department said.

Witnesses had varying statements about why and how the customer fell, with some witnesses saying he stumbled over a chair, while others reported he may have been pushed during the fight, police said.

The customer, identified as 59-year-old Paul Lawson, told officers that he was unable to move, and was taken in an ambulance to a local hospital for medical treatment, police said. Lawson died on Saturday while receiving care at the hospital.

The circumstances of the fight and Lawson’s death remained under investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Antioch Police Department Detective Duff at rduff@antiochca.gov.

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Brother of late NFL star, U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman sentenced for 2025 San Jose post office arson

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Kassia Bonesteel

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    California (KPIX) — Richard Tillman, brother of the late National Football League star and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman, was sentenced on Monday to five years in federal prison for setting a San Jose post office on fire in 2025.

In February, Richard Tillman pleaded guilty to one count of malicious destruction of government property by fire for setting fire to the U.S. Post Office on Crown Boulevard on July 20, 2025. The post office’s lobby went up in flames around 3 a.m. after Tillman backed up his vehicle into the building, doused it with lighter fluid, and then set fire to it – and the fire logs that were in the vehicle.

The fire quickly spread from the vehicle to the Post Office, destroying its lobby. It has not been available to the public since.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Tillman said he set fire to the facility to “make a point to the United States Government.” Tillman’s family said he had been suffering mental health issues for years.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila also sentenced Tillman to three years of supervised release and ordered Tillman to pay restitution of $2,371,682 to the United States Postal Service.

The 45-year-old Tillman is the youngest brother of Pat Tillman, the Bay Area native who ended his football career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the Army with his other brother Kevin and become Rangers. Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 by friendly fire.

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Invasive golden mussels run rampant in San Joaquin County, spark plea for federal assistance

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Carmela Karcher

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    SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, California (KMAX, KOVR) — Tony Faso has been in the boating business for 23 years. In that time, he’s never been able to see the fish swimming near the shores of the San Joaquin Delta, until now.

“The clarity of the water is wild,” Faso, owner of the Delta Marine Yacht Center in Stockton, explained. “It’s sad to say, but we could never even see that deep.”

That clear water is a clear warning sign of the invasion happening below the surface as hundreds of thousands of golden mussels filter the water while wreaking havoc on critical infrastructure.

“I don’t want to say it’s a foregone conclusion that we can’t stop it, but we have to find a way to slow it down,” Faso said.

The golden mussel is tiny but mighty, multiplying fast and nearly impossible to get rid of.

Thick colonies are already coating boats, piers and pipelines.

As the owner of the Delta Marine Yacht Center, Faso has a front-row view of the invasion as he hauls boats daily coming from the web of waterways around the region.

“We get to really kind of view a whole host of environments that these mussels are showing up in,” he continued. “It’s a really good kind of concentrated way to get a lot of data quickly and it’s just our normal course of business.”

He’s also part of a county committee trying to find ways to combat the invasive mollusk.

“That’s our big push. We need data, we need information and we need people to do little things like we’re doing,” Faso said.

His job is to test an ultrasonic transducer that sends pulses along a surface to deter mussels from attaching.

“We’re trying to specifically prove it out on agricultural pipes as the Delta is so agriculturally sensitive,” he explained. “We have a system in place but we need time to prove it.”

He says the results have been positive but the need to stop the spread of these mussels is urgent.

“If we have a problem here, and we do, it’s likely showing up in all other regions hundreds of miles away,” Faso continued. “These boats that are traveling from body of water to body of water can unwittingly be transmitting or conveying those mussels to an otherwise unaffected area.”

By working with local to federal partners, they hope it will bring in additional resources so waterways across California can be set free.

“We’re looking to find a solution and that seems unlikely,” he said. “In the meantime, what we’re trying to do is get education out there.”

The county Board of Supervisors is asking for funding, technical assistance, mitigation strategies and infrastructure protection resources through local, regional, state and federal partners through an emergency declaration, which was declared at the end of April.

They plan to review the status of the emergency every 60 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.

After a long childhood cancer journey, this family is embracing life – and dancing

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Kate Bilo, Casey Kuhn

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    Pennsylvania (KYW) — For childhood cancer families, the journey never ends. Even when children are cured, there can be side effects from the treatment, and the possibility of a relapse is always lurking.

For the Isaacs family, life can be chaos.

But that has become pretty normal for this family of five. Life has thrown them more than one curveball.

“I remember my mommy saying I felt more tired,” Emilia says about the beginning of the journey.

When Emilia was about two years old, she had on-and-off fevers for about two weeks, her mom said.

They went to the doctor, and the next day, the family received an alarming message.

“She told us to take Emilia to the children’s hospital,” mom Kathrin Isaacs said.

Emilia had cancer — B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“You hear kids can get cancer, but you never thought it would be us,” Kathrin said.

It was the day before Thanksgiving 2021. Emilia started treatment immediately.

“The worst day ever,” Emilia recalled.

The first month of leukemia treatment, called induction, is intense, and there were complications.

“She couldn’t walk anymore after three weeks,” Kathrin said.

“And I just remember … thinking to myself, just not even get to the next day, just get to next hour,” Emilia’s dad said.

By Christmas Eve, Emilia was in remission.

But treatment wasn’t finished. In fact, treatment lasted about 2.5 years.

And there were more complications — pneumonia that required a breathing tube, lack of appetite and a feeding tube.

“You didn’t have time to think. You’re just really in survival mode,” Kathrin said.

Emilia finished treatment.

“We even celebrated, she rang the bell,” Kathrin said. “We actually had 19 months of thinking this life, this cancer life is behind us.”

That all changed in October.

“The one time she woke up because she was so sweaty … and she just looked at me, and there I knew, I knew that the leukemia is back,” Kathrin said.

Treatment started again.

“You always know this can happen. You always fear that this could be us again, but you still don’t think it’s gonna hit you,” Kathrin said.

The side effects were severe.

“She couldn’t talk anymore, she couldn’t walk, she couldn’t move,” Kathrin said.

“Well, I could talk, but it sounded silly,” Emilia said.

Emilia’s treatments didn’t clear all of the cancer, so she had CAR-T cell therapy.

“I remember the exact moment when I got the T-cells out of my body,” Emilia said.

So far, the treatment has worked: Emilia is in remission.

They say they couldn’t have gotten here without community support, especially from the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

“And as soon as another family has a child with cancer, I tell them, go to Alex’s. They will know how they can help you,” Kathrin said.

Right now, the Isaacs family is focusing on life and celebrating with the viral T-cell dance.

Join CBS Philadelphia for the 20th annual Alex Scott A Stand for Hope Telethon, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Funds are being raised for childhood cancer research.

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Worker dies after falling from construction scaffolding at school, police say

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Garrett Behanna

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A woman has died after falling about 30 feet from construction scaffolding at Obama Academy in Pittsburgh, authorities said on Monday.

Pittsburgh EMS, fire crews, and Zone 5 officers responded just before 9 a.m. to the 500 block of North Highland Avenue for a report of an injured person.

Police said construction workers were performing work on the school’s pool area, where scaffolding had been erected. Responders found the adult woman at the bottom of the empty pool after the fall.

According to a press release from a Pittsburgh Public Schools spokesperson, the woman was part of a contracted construction team performing work related to a pool lighting project at the school. No students or district employees were involved in the incident, the district spokesperson added.

The woman suffered severe head injuries and was transported by EMS personnel in grave condition. She was pronounced dead at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital shortly after arrival, according to police. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified her as 36-year-old Noelle Mansour.

Violent Crime Unit detectives responded to the scene as part of standard procedure, police said.

The incident remains under investigation.

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Eddie Andelman, known as “godfather of sports radio,” dead at 89

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Matt Schooley

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    Massachusetts (WBZ) — Eddie Andelman, a member of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame who is known by many as the “godfather of sports radio,” has died.

Andelman’s three sons announced their father’s death. Eddie Andelman was 89 years old.

“Eddie Andelman was loved by his wife of fifty seven years, worshipped by his sons, and adored by his grandchildren. From humble roots in Dorchester, he went onto great success in business and broadcasting,” the family said. “Some call him the godfather of sports radio. He certainly changed and elevated the sports radio game.”

Andelman was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2011 after a career on Boston radio that spanned 42 years. A biography on the Hall of Fame’s website says that Andelman “virtually invented the sports talk radio format.”

In 1969, Andelman and two other hosts debuted “Sports Huddle,” a live and interactive sports show on WEEI.

“Andelman’s astute observations and good humor attracted fans of all ages to join the discussions. The show became a model for similar programs across the country,” the Massachusetts Broadcast Hall of Fame wrote on its website. “As the audiences grew, the show expanded from a weekly Sunday night feature to a prime time weekday series and was a precursor of the all-sports radio format stations that we know today.”

In 1989, Andelman hosted the first “Hot Dog Safari” in Boston, giving participants the chance to travel around the city in search of the best hot dogs. Phantom Gourmet later took over the event.

Decades of Hot Dog Safari events helped raise millions of dollars for cystic fibrosis research through the Joey Fund.

“Eddie worked tirelessly on the Hot Dog Safari for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation because he loved to give people a great time and he was thankful that his own family was healthy,” Dave, Mike and Dan Andelman wrote. “There would be no Phantom Gourmet without Eddie Andelman. His passion and pride in the work, down to earth and sometimes irreverent style, and the reverence for small business owners and hard working people only enriched our lives and well as many others as well. We learned all that we do from our dad. He was one of a kind. He helped thousands and entertained millions. Eddie Andelman lived a truly incredible life.”

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Humpback whale caught in fishing rope freed off Massachusetts: “It was an honor,” rescuers said

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Neal Riley

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    Massachusetts (WBZ) — A young humpback whale was freed from entanglement in fishing gear off the coast of Massachusetts on Sunday.

The Provincetown-based Center for Coastal Studies said boaters spotted the “relatively small whale” struggling in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which encompasses 842 square miles between Cape Ann and Cape Cod. The Marine Animal Entanglement Response team responded and found the whale with rope around the base of its tail that was essentially anchoring it in place.

The center said rescuers only had a short amount of time to act with storms in the forecast on Sunday evening. They used a hook-shaped knife at the end of a 30-foot pole to make a series of cuts to the rope – and it worked. The crew stayed with the whale until it was able to start swimming around again.

Researchers believe the whale has a good prognosis despite being injured by the entanglement. Whale watchers have repeatedly called the MAER hotline about the whale in the past month because it has deep wounds on its body from a previous entanglement, the center said.

A responder from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was part of the effort to free the whale.

“It was an honor to help this whale and great to continue the collaboration between our teams,” Maria Harvey said in a statement.

Entanglement and vessel strikes are two of the most serious threats to whales. Just last week, a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, recently seen off Cape Cod, was observed with fishing gear in its mouth in Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence.

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Atlanta nonprofit’s STEM summer camp inspires students to dream bigger through robotics

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Alexa Liacko

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — While school may be out for the summer, students at one Atlanta camp are still learning — this time through robotics, engineering, and problem-solving.

A new partnership between Atlanta nonprofit Children’s First and STEM education organization The STEM Plug brought a high-tech robotics camp to metro Atlanta this summer, exposing foster children and at-risk youth to hands-on STEM experiences designed to build confidence and creativity.

“We don’t want to just teach STEM to kids and for them to consume it,” said Rich Gilliam, founder of The STEM Plug. “We want them to feel like they can be creators.”

The STEM Plug operates robotics camps across the Southeast, introducing students to science, technology, engineering, and math through interactive projects.

This year, Gilliam partnered with Children First, an organization that serves foster children and at-risk youth throughout metro Atlanta. While Children First hosts summer camps every year, organizers said adding robotics programming gave students an opportunity many had never experienced before.

While school may be out for the summer, students at one Atlanta camp are still learning — this time through robotics, engineering, and problem-solving.

A new partnership between Atlanta nonprofit Children’s First and STEM education organization The STEM Plug brought a high-tech robotics camp to metro Atlanta this summer, exposing foster children and at-risk youth to hands-on STEM experiences designed to build confidence and creativity.

“We don’t want to just teach STEM to kids and for them to consume it,” said Rich Gilliam, founder of The STEM Plug. “We want them to feel like they can be creators.”

The STEM Plug operates robotics camps across the Southeast, introducing students to science, technology, engineering, and math through interactive projects.

This year, Gilliam partnered with Children First, an organization that serves foster children and at-risk youth throughout metro Atlanta. While Children First hosts summer camps every year, organizers said adding robotics programming gave students an opportunity many had never experienced before.

“As a kid, I didn’t have much confidence that I can do anything within STEM, right? So that’s why I struggled,” he said. “So that’s why I created STEM Plug to really help kids now at that earlier age that they can feel like they can have that confidence, that they could be creators.”

Gilliam hopes introducing children to technology early will help prepare them for future careers in growing industries.

“If there’s companies out here that have 10-, 15-year goals out, we need to reach the kids that are younger, right?” he said.

Students said the lessons extended beyond building robots.

“Robotics is important to me because it can help me in my everyday life,” participant Dante Hollis said.

Gilliam said he has watched students develop critical life skills throughout the program.

“A lot of times the kids might not notice it, but I definitely notice every day of them just really, really learn those skills that we want them to learn, which are critical thinking and problem solving,” he said.

Several students said Gilliam’s encouragement made a lasting impression during the two-week camp.

“He’s patient with people,” said 13-year-old Cach Arel. “He’s patient with people, even though people want to quit, but he still convinces them to keep going.”

Hollis said Gilliam helped him overcome one of his biggest challenges.

“He taught me how not to give up, and giving up was one of my hardest challenges because sometimes I messed up and I wanted to quit right then and there and stop, but he kept me pushing and helped me keep going and trying my best,” Hollis said.

Gilliam said he hopes this summer’s program will be the first of many collaborations in metro Atlanta, believing that a small amount of encouragement can inspire students to pursue lifelong opportunities in STEM.

The idea for the partnership originated at Invest Fest Atlanta, a convention that connects startups and organizations looking to collaborate on initiatives that benefit the city. Children’s First offers year-round programs serving Atlanta-area families.

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.

Paralyzed Minnesota man’s invention aims to help people with mobility issues walk again

CNN Newsource on June 16, 2026

By Derek James

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — At 17, a car accident left Alan Tholkes a paraplegic with a spinal cord injury. What followed has been a lifetime spent solving problems he understood firsthand.

“Being a user of the product, you start to train yourself to look at it. You can see the problems, right? I think that’s the foundation of any good designer invention is just identifying the problem, how can you make something better,” said Alan Tholkes, founder and inventor of the WalkPort.

For over four decades, Alan Tholkes designed wheelchairs, standing devices and mobility products used around the world.

His wife, Monaliza, says the drive to help others never switches off.

“He would have a pen and a paper on the side of the bed, and in the middle of the night would wake up and design a product,” said Monaliza Tholkes.

She says Alan Tholkes often includes their children in the process, as ideas become inventions. His latest is called the WalkPort. It’s designed to help people with paralysis, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and age-related mobility issues experience walking again.

The idea came after Alan Tholkes spent hours traveling to a rehabilitation center for a brief walking session.

“I’m back home and I’m thinking, ‘Well, that was good, wow. I want to do it again, but I want to do it right now, right here at my house,'” explained Alan Tholkes.

For Janice Binstock, the results were immediate. Earlier this year, she suddenly lost the use of her legs and tried the WalkPort after finishing physical therapy.

“My balance was a big factor with what I dealt with, and when I got on the WalkPort, I could just walk. I didn’t have to concentrate on my balance. And I could see what I was doing,” said Binstock.

Today, she’s walking again without assistance.

A lifetime after losing the ability to walk himself, Alan Tholkes is still finding ways to help others take their next steps.

“The reaction on people’s faces when they get to experience something they haven’t been able to experience before is pretty gratifying,” said Alan Tholkes.

“I just think it gives each individual hope,” said Binstock.

The WalkPort will be built with manufacturing partner Data Metalcraft in Arlington, Minnesota. The first machines will roll off the assembly floor in August.

Alan Tholkes plans to retire in Florida at the end of this month.

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Houston City College Celebrates History-Making VICEROY Scholar Caressa Brown First HCC Student Selected for Prestigious Air Combat Command ENVOY Internship

CNN Newsource on June 15, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

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    June 15, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Houston City College has earned another proud moment in the history books—and this one comes with wings, discipline, cyber talent, and a Houston-sized salute.

On April 16, 2026, Houston City College announced that Caressa Brown, an HCC VICEROY Scholar, had made institutional history as the first HCC student ever selected for the prestigious VICEROY ENVOY internship with the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. The announcement marked a milestone not only for Brown, but also for HCC’s expanding role in preparing students for national security, cybersecurity, data, artificial intelligence, and defense workforce careers.

Brown’s achievement became even more meaningful on May 8, 2026, when HCC celebrated her graduation with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Information Systems. In true history-making fashion, Brown did not simply walk across the graduation stage—she walked into a future that reaches from Houston classrooms to America’s defense command centers.

“This is so exciting. I am just in awe,” Brown said, reflecting on the opportunity.

This summer, Brown will report to Langley Air Force Base, where she will be embedded within Air Combat Command, a major operational component of the U.S. Department of Defense. Through the competitive, paid, mission-focused VICEROY ENVOY internship, she will gain real-world exposure to national defense environments and projects aligned with cyber, data, artificial intelligence, and operational technology needs.

“From what I understand, during my time in this internship, I’ll be exposed to different operating systems—not only in aircraft, but across military operations as a whole,” Brown said.

What makes Brown’s story sparkle with Houston Style Magazine-worthy inspiration is the road she traveled to get here. Before stepping into the world of cyber and national security, the 33-year-old built a career in the beauty industry. She earned a cosmetology degree in the Dallas area, later owned a salon and spa, and discovered a deeper passion while running the business: technology.

While managing inventory systems, building her website, and learning the digital side of entrepreneurship, Brown realized she was not just operating a business—she was decoding the systems behind it. That spark led her back to school, where she pursued computer information systems at HCC while also working toward a second associate degree in business administration.

Brown is also a participant in the U.S. Navy Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program and is working toward a commission as an Information Operations Officer, fulfilling a dream she has carried since she first wanted to join the military at age 17.

“Ms. Brown stands out for her professionalism, discipline and clear commitment to national service,” said Robert Glover, VICEROY principal investigator/program manager and director of HCC Military Education Programs. “As the first student from the college to enter the VICEROY ENVOY internship pipeline, she is setting a new standard and opening doors for future scholars who hope to follow a similar path.”

For Houston, this is more than a student success story. It is a workforce development story. It is a women-in-technology story. It is a second-act story. It is also a reminder that community colleges are not backup plans—they are launchpads.

From salon owner to computer information systems graduate, from entrepreneur to future military officer, from HCC scholar to Air Combat Command intern, Caressa Brown is proving that reinvention is not only possible—it can be powerful.

And as she prepares for her Summer 2026 internship at Langley Air Force Base, Brown carries with her the pride of Houston City College, the promise of Houston’s next-generation workforce, and the unmistakable message that history is still being made by students bold enough to believe they belong in the room.

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To learn more about the HCC VICEROY Scholars Program, visit hccs.edu/viceroy

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Kierra Lee
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