Author: CNN Newsource

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.

By Nicole Comstock

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    MONROVIA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The owners of a beloved Monrovia burger joint are asking for help after thieves broke into their home and stole their entire life savings of $140,000.

“We don’t have much time left already,” owner Pan Pimoslavakun said. “We’re not young anymore.

Pan and her husband, Vorawat, have owned Burger Basket in Monrovia since 1963 and were hoping to retire in five to seven years with the $140,000 they kept in a lockbox at their home.

They had to close their mom-and-pop burger joint for a couple of weeks after Vorawat was hospitalized because of the stress from the burglary.

“Those monies is actually for my retirement,” Pan said. “I’ve been working for 30 years.”

Security cameras captured the burglars rifling through the elderly couple’s belongings on March 26. One guy knocked on the door first. Then, the family says two others broke through a small window, manhandled their dogs and stole priceless mementos handed down through their family over generations, along with the cash.

The couple immigrated from Thailand long ago and worked hard to save that money over three decades. Their son, Jesse Narkmanee, said he had warned his parents not to keep it in cash.

“Old-school Asian community. They like to put their life savings in cash cause that’s what they trust,” Narkmanee said.

Their son put together an online fundraiser to help them recover, and community support started pouring in.

“My parents were open for a little bit after the robbery, and so many people came to support them, to buy more burgers,” Narkmanee said. “I’m just so thankful. It made my dad cry a lot. I’ve never seen my dad cry before. He cried tears of joy.

They are also asking for help finding the suspects. The family said the burglars got away in a gray Nissan Rogue, but it had stolen plates.

“We don’t want this to happen to anyone,” Pan said. “This hurt.”

The Monrovia Police Department said it is actively investigating the case and encouraged anyone with info to call detectives.

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 Ashley Sharp

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — From overserved to served with a lawsuit, Carnival Cruise Line has been ordered by a Florida jury to pay $300,000 to a Sacramento woman who, according to a federal lawsuit, crewmembers served 14 tequila shots before she fell down a stairwell and was injured.

Diana Sanders, a nurse at a Vacaville hospital, filed the lawsuit after the January 2024 incident aboard the Carnival Radiance.

She told CBS News Sacramento that there is so much more to this story than her just being overserved alcohol. She said it’s about systemic safety failures. She was not yet ready to share her experience in an on-camera interview.

According to the lawsuit, “Carnival crewmembers served [Sanders] approximately fourteen alcoholic beverages within a span of approximately eight hours… due to her inebriated state that was caused by this over-service of alcohol… [she] suffered a severe fall.”

“When you do take these people on your cruise ship, you are responsible for their well-being,” Sacramento defense attorney Mark Reichel, unrelated to this case, told CBS News Sacramento. “You can’t over serve someone, and if something happens to them, the bar is, in fact, liable.”

As for the fact that this presumably took place in international waters, Reichel says those laws would still apply.

“Where do they do business out of? And it is international waters, but where did they leave from?” Reichel explained.

The Florida jury found Carnival to be 60% liable for the incident, for failing to exercise reasonable care. Sanders was found to be 40% negligent for her own consumption.

Sanders claims she was visibly intoxicated, blacked out and woke up at the bottom of a crew-only stairwell, where she suffered a head injury and was covered in bruises she could not explain on her inner thighs and arms.

“They gave me conflicting information. They treated me like a criminal. I was very concerned they would not tell me exactly what happened to me,” Sanders said in a social media video posted by her attorney, Spencer Aronfeld.

Sanders says she filed the lawsuit because the cruise line would provide no video showing what unfolded.

“Come to find out they had all the tapes right before but nothing afterwards, and they will not show us what happened that day,” Sanders said.

According to the lawsuit, her injuries were severe. It reads, “As a result of these crewmembers’ misrepresentations, [Sanders] has suffered severe bodily injuries resulting in pain and suffering, disability, scarring, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of independence, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment.”

Aronfeld says while passengers do have the responsibility to drink responsibly, cruise lines must also serve responsibly.

“When you serve somebody who is visibly intoxicated repeatedly drink after drink after drink, it can lead to disastrous consequences,” said Aronfeld.

Aronfeld points out in the lawsuit, “To maximize revenue, Carnival deliberately designs its vessels to ensure there are alcohol serving stations in every nook and cranny of the ship.”

Considering that Sanders had purchased a drink package on the cruise, Aronfeld says this case highlights the dangers of overconsumption and popular all-inclusive drink packages.

“Do you think that makes a cruise line rethink a service like that? Because that is the culture, right? To keep drinking to get your money’s worth?” I asked Reichel.

“You couldn’t be more right that the expectation of what they’re purchasing is the experience that she had… you know, I think it’s within limitations, and the alcohol is the limitation,” Reichel said.

Carnival representatives told CBS News they disagree with the verdict and plan to pursue an appeal and a new trial.

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.