Author: CNN Newsource

By Meghan Schiller

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pittsburgh area woman says she never expected the outpouring of support when she shared the details of her traumatic experience on social media.

Stray voltage from a nearby streetlight shocked her and her dog Denim, leaving him immobile.

“I want to raise awareness around this situation that apparently happens in Pittsburgh because it shouldn’t,” said Montana Mitchell.

For the first time, Mitchell is reliving what she can’t stop replaying in her mind. A post-run cool-down walk on Smallman Street with her dog Denim ended in panic.

“I wear his leash around my waist, and so it was a small buzz I felt around my waist, so I thought the shock was coming from me at first, so I ripped out my AirPods and took off my Apple Watch.”

But that didn’t help, and Mitchell watched her beloved chocolate lab scream out, convulsing, and foaming at the mouth right next to a streetlight on the sidewalk near 11th and Smallman streets.

“He had been thrown to his side, his legs were pushed out, and it looked like he was being tased,” said Mitchell. “When I realized he was being shocked, I didn’t know where it was coming from, so I didn’t know what to pull him away from. He’s also 85 pounds.”

Now she wonders if his size or her quick thinking saved him.

“I kind of had this split-second thought of, ‘OK, I got to get in there.’ So, I leaned over and started taking off his harness and his collars. That’s when I really felt the jolts of the shock. It went up and down my arms, through my chest, and down my spine.”

Miraculously, both Mitchell and her pup survived.

City officials confirmed Monday that something had previously struck the bottom of the streetlight, shifting the wires and causing a pinch in the wiring that energized the pole.

This happened almost two years to the day after Bob Robinson-Dassel’s dog Nikki died from electrocution after walking over a metal plate beneath a streetlight on the Murray Avenue Bridge, also energized by faulty wiring.

At the time, the City of Pittsburgh and former Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration hired a consulting company that recommended a city-wide check of its streetlights and electrical wiring.

Mayor Corey O’Connor’s administration told KDKA-TV that never happened.

“Once I learned that this wasn’t the first time this had happened, that’s really what compelled me to speak out publicly,” Mitchell said. “Otherwise, if it were a true freak accident, I would have kept it between family and friends.”

Mitchell told KDKA-TV that she is meeting with attorneys and plans to make a decision by the end of the week.

The city told KDKA-TV that it will now continue to complete the suggested city-wide inventory of all of the city’s streetlights to prevent this from happening again.

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 Andy Sheehan

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Twin boys have been seen selling lemonade for long hours several times a week, often in cold weather, on street corners throughout Pittsburgh and the suburbs for months.

Hundreds of people have posted concerns on the social media platform Reddit, saying the twins are being exploited and demanding action. The police have been called, and complaints have been filed with the Office of Children, Youth and Families. KDKA Lead Investigator Andy Sheehan looked into the concerns about the so-called lemonade twins.

The boys sell lemonade day after day, hour after hour, around the Pittsburgh area. While they appear to be working alone, KDKA Investigates observed a woman, believed to be their mother Sahira Mohammad, sitting within eyesight in a car nearby. Customers say the twins ask for $20 a cup but accept as little as $2 or $3.

It’s not clear where the money goes or whether it’s a business or a charity. They have an Instagram page that says they serve lemonade for peace. Mohammad told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this summer that the lemonade sales “instill a sense of confidence, independence and discipline in her boys, as well as the value of entrepreneurship.”

However, many of the hundreds of people posting their concerns on Reddit say they believe the twins are being exploited, documenting multiple times they’ve been out in sub-freezing temperatures and during school hours. They say they’ve called the police, ChildLine and have asked CYF to intercede.

“We’re really grateful to the community reporting when they have concerns, whether it’s about these children or any other children that we see, and, of course, we’re taking action on those reports of abuse,” said Erin Dalton, director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.

Dalton said she is prohibited from discussing any investigation, but said complaints of this nature automatically initiate a process: a screening that can lead to an investigation, a finding within 60 days and possible action.

“I cannot report on where we are on any of these referrals, but those are processes that are underway for any referral that comes in,” Dalton said.

KDKA’s Andy Sheehan asked, “In this case, are these legitimate concerns?”

“We take every complaint and every concern about child abuse and neglect seriously, and we investigate those that we feel are merited,” Dalton said.

But a determination of abuse or neglect may not be so clear in this case.

If this is a family business, child welfare experts say that it may be little different from kids doing daily chores on a family farm. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has responded to several complaints but has found no evidence to charge the woman criminally. The police bureau issued a statement saying, in part:

“Officers have looked into the matter and so far they have found that the none of their sales have occurred during school hours or they occurred during days off from school. The children are also under supervision by a parent. At this time there is nothing to suggest any criminality with respect to their venture.”

Two days after Christmas, KDKA Investigates found the twins packing up their stand on the corner of Forbes and Murray avenues in Squirrel Hill. The mother left her car to collect them, and KDKA Investigates asked her to comment.

KDKA’s Andy Sheehan asked, “People are concerned about your kids.”

Mohammad said, “Can you please get the camera out my face?”

KDKA’s Andy Sheehan responded: “People are concerned about the state of your kids.”

“Can you please get away from me and my children, please. Thank you,” Mohammad 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 Wakisha Bailey

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Lilo, a German Shepherd-Siberian Husky mix, was just 4 years old when she was diagnosed with cancer.

After months of chemotherapy and a leg amputation, her family finally received the news they had been hoping for: Lilo was cancer-free. But her journey also revealed a harsh reality many pet owners face: lifesaving veterinary care can come with overwhelming costs. Unlike human health care, most veterinary care is paid out of pocket.

Lilo’s owner, Karen Urbischi, says she never imagined being in this position. Lilo had been young and healthy, and Urbischi had lowered her pet insurance coverage years earlier, a decision she says she never thought she would regret.

“I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t at least try,” Urbischi said.

Lilo was treated for a rare and aggressive cancer at Metropolitan Veterinary Associates, where specialists recommended aggressive treatment to give her the best chance at comfort and survival. Over time, veterinary bills added up quickly, totaling tens of thousands of dollars.

Experts say advanced veterinary medicine today often mirrors human health care, including specialized surgeries, oncology treatment, and prescription medications, all of which can require high out-of-pocket costs. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, only 4% of pets are insured, even though it’s estimated there are more than 160 million pets nationwide.

To help manage expenses, Urbischi turned to her community, organizing fundraisers and receiving support from strangers who were moved by Lilo’s story.

While Lilo successfully completed cancer treatment, she later passed away from an infection at her incision site.

Urbischi says sharing Lilo’s journey is about helping other families prepare.

Experts recommend pet owners consider purchasing insurance early, when their animals are young and healthy, and ensure policies cover prescription medications, specialty care and emergency treatment before a medical crisis occurs.

Urbischi says she hopes Lilo’s story encourages others to ask questions, plan ahead and understand the financial realities that can come with caring for a beloved pet.

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 Tom Ignudo

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A 16-year-old boy was found shot dead inside a Chipotle bathroom on the edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia Monday, police said. The shooting happened as students and staff returned to campus for the first day of the spring 2026 semester.

The teen was found shot in the chest inside the Chipotle on the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue at around 5 p.m., according to police. The restaurant is on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartments, which is near Temple’s Student Center and TECH Center.

Police later identified the boy as Khyon Smith-Tate of North Philadelphia. Philadelphia Police Department Chief Inspector Scott Small said the 16-year-old was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.

“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it,” Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”

Small said police believe the shooting happened inside the bathroom of the Chipotle.

The 16-year-old and another minor asked for keys to enter the restroom, according to Small. Moments later, Chipotle employees found the 16-year-old shot in the chest. One spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon was also found inside the bathroom. While police didn’t identify the 16-year-old, Small said his last known address is eight blocks away from where the shooting happened.

Small said the Chipotle was very crowded and busy at the time of the shooting, and several people who were inside were being held for questioning. So far, they haven’t gotten information from anyone who heard a gunshot inside the store.

A person of interest was taken into custody a few blocks from the scene, but their involvement wasn’t clear, Small said. Police said Tuesday that no suspects had been arrested and no motive has been determined.

Small said police believe Smith-Tate entered the bathroom with another minor, but investigators aren’t sure about the latter’s whereabouts.

Police are seeking more information on three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.

Small said there are plenty of cameras in the area and police will use them in their investigation.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic incident that occurred at our restaurant on the 1100 block of Montgomery Avenue in Philadelphia and we hope the individuals responsible are apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” a Chipotle spokesperson said in a statement. “The safety of our employees and guests is our top priority. We are cooperating fully with the Philadelphia Police Department, and the restaurant will remain closed while we assist with their investigation.”

Chipotle added that the company is offering counseling services to workers at the restaurant.

Employee Jesús Lucero was off work and said he got messages from co-workers about the shooting.

“No one actually knows how it happened,” Lucero said. “But the crew members are OK. Everyone that’s working was OK.”

Meanwhile, students are processing the shooting just steps from where they attend class — an area they say often draws teens after school.

“Like a big crowd or something on the streets, I don’t know what neighborhood they come from, but it’s usually in the afternoon after school,” Mauricio Gonzalez, a sophomore at Temple, said. “I mean, someone needs to watch out for these children. Where are their parents, you know? They’re not looking out for these people.”

Temple is encouraging any students impacted by the shooting to seek support through Tuttleman Counseling Services.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.

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By Jenna DeAngelis

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    PATERSON, New Jersey (WCBS) — A New Jersey mother is speaking out after her special needs child was allegedly given hot sauce as discipline by his teacher.

While not confirming details of the claims, Paterson Public Schools confirmed that teacher has been let go.

CBS News New York sat down with the mother, who wants to raise awareness for other parents.

Quasheema Frye is the proud, protective mother of two sons with autism. Lamond, who is 6, is nonverbal.

“I feel like I got to talk for him and I got to be here for him and that’s why I’m stepping up and I’m just getting this out,” Frye said.

The concerned mother was outraged over allegations a teacher at Paterson’s Dale Avenue School gave her son hot sauce.

“It’s a kid. How could you even think of doing something like that to a kid?” Frye said.

She said she was alerted to a Facebook post from Dec. 22, claiming a teacher at the school, “is putting hot sauce in the students’ mouths as discipline for their behavior.”

Kenya Hilton, a substitute in the district, posted the allegations after she says another substitute told her about the incident.

“She was in the bathroom taking another child to the bathroom, washing her hands. Then she just hears a crazy yelling,” Hilton said. “She said that he ran into the bathroom and started rinsing his mouth out, and ‘That’s when I knew something was wrong.’ She says she saw the teacher put the hot sauce in the other children’s mouths.”

Hilton said the new substitute teacher — whose name she didn’t get — said she reported the incident to a superior, but Hilton was worried it wouldn’t be enough.

“I’m the mom of a neurodivergent child as well, and, honestly, my heart was hurting. I was disgusted,” Hilton said.

Hilton says the day after her Facebook post, she was contacted by an investigator and the district sent a message to parents, alerting them that “the allegation is being investigated.”

That’s when Frye said she contacted the school to see if it was her child’s class, and received a call from the principal more than two weeks later.

“She said, ‘and I’m sorry to inform you but your son was one of the children,'” Frye said.

However, Frye says at a meeting Monday the principal backtracked, saying it was not her son, leaving her with more questions than answers.

A Paterson Public Schools spokesperson said the district immediately initiated an investigation and the individual is no longer employed by the district.

“The District is aware of the allegation regarding an incident at Dale Avenue Elementary School and immediately initiated an investigation in accordance with established protocols. The individual involved is no longer employed by the District. We are committed to ensuring that every student feels safe, respected, and supported. Due to the nature of the matter, we are unable to share additional details at this time,” the spokesperson said.

“More needs to be done then. You just firing this person. They need to be held accountable. They need to be in jail. Like, there’s so many things I could think of, like hot sauce?” Frye said.

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By Najahe Sherman

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — It’s a monumental milestone – two exceptional young women have become Eagle Scouts.

For Emily Mayol and Victoria Parra, this moment has been years in the making.

“I was so overjoyed. Like, I don’t think I can ever be that excited about something,” said Emily Mayol.

“Tears were shed, but I was just really excited. They were happy tears,” said Victoria Parra.

Becoming the first female Eagle Scouts in Troop 65’s 50-plus year history required outstanding leadership, commitment to community service, and breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated organization

It wasn’t until 2017 that the Boy Scouts of America welcomed girls. Scout Master Edward Steinman, who has led the troop for years, fully embraced this change.

“It was always boys. It was called Boy Scouts of America, now it’s just Scouts of America. It was a very, very good thing for them to do, because it adds a lot to the program,” Steinman said.

To earn the prestigious Eagle Scout rank, Mayol and Parra completed 21 merit badges, each representing a mastered skill, progressed through all scouting ranks, and spearheaded impactful community projects.

Mayol saw a need in her school’s drama club and created acting blocks.

“They’re blocks that you can stand on, you can use as props and we ended up making a stand for them as well to give more space to the theatre room,” said Mayol.

Now, those blocks are essential tools in all her school’s theater classes.

Parra addressed an invasive plant crisis in her local park by building collection stations and bins.

“So the park was suffering greatly and I grew up in that park. So, I wanted to make sure that it was safe and that it would always be beautiful,” said Parra.

She redesigned placards to educate park-goers about invasive species, encouraging community involvement in preserving the area.

Jennifer Mayol, their Scout Master for six years, cherishes this moment.

“It was very emotional because it was the end of a long road with scouts and that they were the first two girls on Miami Beach was fantastic,” Jennifer Mayol said.

These trailblazing young ladies aim to inspire the next generation and offer this advice.

“There is going to be difficulties. So, you just need to be able to commit to what you love, and to follow through,” said Parra.

“As long as you just try your best, and you stay true to who you are, you can do it,” said Mayol.

This achievement is more than a personal triumph. It embodies true leadership, commitment to community, and the courage to break barriers.

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By Riley Rourke

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — Video newly obtained by WBZ appears to show a New York Rangers fan push a Boston Bruins fan down the stairs at TD Garden after a series of heated exchanges on Saturday.

The incident happened just after 3 p.m. between the second and third periods of the game. Witnesses said that the victim, who told police he had at least 7 beers, was taunting people in the stands.

“You could kind of tell he had quite a few drinks at that time. He was falling out of his seat. Falling onto the stairs,” the witness who recorded the video told WBZ. He asked for his name to be kept private.

The interactions between the 66-year-old victim, a Bruins fan, and 48-year-old Aaron Tucker of Vermont, who was wearing a Rangers jersey, then began to escalate, according to court documents. His wife told police that the victim was getting “uncomfortably close to her.” Witnesses then saw the victim putting his middle finger in her face, according to a police report.

Witnesses also told police that the victim’s friends were trying to get him to leave to avoid any fights.

The witness we spoke with said that Tucker then turned to his group of friends, who were seated directly next to him, and said, “‘If he comes over here, I’m going to grab him by the throat and throw him down the stairs.'” That witness said, after one more altercation, that’s exactly what happened.

The video he recorded shows a man in a Rangers jersey grab another man by the neck, while on the stairs, and shove him. The victim then fell into the seating section below.

“When he went airborne, he went over two rows of club seats, skipped the third row, and hit his head on the concrete wall,” the witness explained. “He just completely folded, upside down, on the concrete and there was a line of blood going down the concrete wall. I don’t know how a human can bend the way that he did.”

Officers arrived to find the victim lying on the ground in the loge section below, “semi-conscious, breathing with eyes slightly open,” documents show. He was taken to a Boston hospital with a cut on the back of his head and was being tested for a concussion, according to a court report. He told EMTs he had no idea why he was going to the hospital.

The victim told WBZ-TV on Monday that he is doing fine but doesn’t want to comment further.

Court documents said that Tucker and his girlfriend left the arena immediately following the fight. He was arrested shortly after on Lafayette Avenue in the North End.

He has been charged with two counts of assault and battery, one to cause serious bodily injury and another on a person over the age of 60. Tucker told WBZ-TV’s Louisa Moller that he is sorry for what happened and that it “wasn’t him.” He declined to go on camera.

Tucker will be arraigned in Boston court on Friday.

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By Margaret Kavanagh

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    WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia (WTKR) — John Hinckley Jr., the man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981, just released a new book about his life and met up with WTKR’s Margaret Kavanagh at Bicentennial Park in Williamsburg to discuss his new memoir and the day he tried to kill the former president.

Hinckley, now a free man living in Williamsburg, has just released a book called “John Hinckley Jr.: Who I Really Am” that tells his story from beginning to end.

“It’s my memoir. It’s called ‘Who I Really Am’ and it tells my whole story from beginning to end,” Hinckley said. “All the good and the bad are in the book.”

The book details how he pushed friends and family away in the late 1970s and early 1980s, isolating himself and falling into a deep depression that led to what he describes as delusional behavior.

“By the time 1981 rolled around, I was a very ill man, and I committed that crime,” Hinckley said.

He was obsessed with the 1976 Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver, where the main character Travis Bickle, played by Robert DeNiro, plots to assassinate a fictional presidential candidate. Hinckley was also infatuated with actress Jodie Foster who played a teenage prostitute in the movie. Foster was 12 when she filmed for her role, Iris.

“In the fall of ’80, I went to New Haven seek her out and I talked to her on the phone a few times and I left messages and wrote poems for her and I always signed them so she knew who I was,” Hinckley said. “She was saying, ‘Look I can’t be talking to strangers on the phone and I was always trying to keep her on the phone.'”

To impress the actress, he devised a plan to kill the president similar to the plot in the movie. Hinckley told me what happened on March 30, 1981.

“I was staying at a hotel in D.C., and I saw Reagan’s schedule for the day in the newspaper, and I made up my mind what I wanted to do,” Hinckley said. “So I wrote a letter to Jodie Foster, and I left it in the hotel room and I took a cab to the Hilton hotel and I saw where the crowd was standing, so I got amongst the crowd and Reagan arrived with his entourage and walked right past me, and it looked like he was waving right at me so it kind of startled me so I just kind of waved back. He went on into the building. He gave his speech and when he came back out. That’s when I shot him.”

Hinckley shot and wounded four people that day. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity the following year, then remained in a mental hospital before receiving his unconditional release and full freedom in 2022.

“I’m just so sorry for what happened,” Hinckley said.

“In 1981, I was depressed, delusional, and that’s why I committed my crimes,” Hinckley said. “But I’m so far removed from that now. I feel so much better now. And my life now is devoted to music and art.”

He creates art that he sells and music that he puts online but says he’s had trouble getting music venue owners to allow him to perform live.

“Then the owner of the venue always seems to cancel on me and it’s very frustrating because I know I can put on a good show and sing my songs and make the people happy,” Hinckley said.

I also spoke with Jason Norman, the ghostwriter who helped Hinckley put the book together.

“I just figured there was much more to him than this and there was,” Norman said. “There was his music career, his college life, his life on the inside, when he was institutionalized for a while, his relationships. I just felt like this was a full story that needed telling.”

Writing the memoir was therapeutic for Hinckley, though emotionally challenging.

“Early on it was hard drudging up all those memories cause I kind of pushed them in the back,” said Hinckley. “I hope people read it and see that I’m not the person I was back in 1981.”

He denounces all political violence and wants peace while continuing to make art and play music, hoping to one day perform live.

“I feel like the public would be attending a good concert if I could just put on the show,” Hinckley 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 Kamilah Williams

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    PORTSMOUTH, Virginia (WTKR) — A Portsmouth mother says she has been unable to access her mailbox for weeks after losing her mail keys, leaving her without important documents and prompting her to seek help from a U.S. senator.

Unique Reid said she lost the keys to her London Oaks apartment mailbox in early December and immediately began trying to replace them.

Since then, she says, she has been locked out of her mailbox with no clear timeline for a solution.

Reid said the lack of access has affected critical parts of her life, including mail related to her son, who is autistic, his medical appointments, and other personal documents.

“Important mail about my son, doctor’s appointments, about tax papers supposed to be coming in the mail,” Reid said.

Reid said she contacted the U.S. Postal Service, worked with her property manager, and repeatedly tried calling both local and national USPS phone numbers, but received no response.

“I contacted USPS Postal Service, went to my landlord, talked to her,” Reid said. “She stayed in there with me for about two hours trying to contact the post office on the phone. Called the 1-800 number, called the main post office number, no response.”

WTKR News 3 reached out to the United States Postal Service for clarification. In a statement, USPS said:

“The Postal Service will install new locks and provide new keys for customers residing at this complex who submit a request at the Post Office and pay for a new key. Once a new lock is installed, the customer can pick up the new mailbox key from the Postal Service. Until then, the customer can pick up her mail at the local Post Office. We greatly value the continued support from our customers…”

Despite that guidance, Reid said a month has passed, and she still does not have access to her mailbox.

“It’s still been hectic,” she said.

Frustrated, Reid took the issue a step further and contacted U.S. Sen. Mark Warner’s office. She said Warner’s office responded, telling her that a staff member had been assigned to her case and would contact USPS on her behalf.

When asked how it felt to receive that response, Reid said it was a relief.

Reid said she hopes the issue will be resolved soon, especially with tax season approaching.

“I really do need them because my W-2s are coming in that mailbox and I need them,” she said.

WTKR News 3 will continue to follow this story as Reid awaits a resolution.

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.