Flags to be lowered for federal officer who died while evacuating homes during Oklahoma wildfire

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Jonathan Greco

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered that all flags on state property be lowered in honor of a federal officer who died while helping others during a wildfire in southwestern Oklahoma.

Federal officer killed in wildfire Over the weekend, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that David Taylor, a 38-year-old federal officer from Scio, Oregon, was helping residents evacuate from the Railroad South Fire near Indiahoma in Comanche County.

Authorities said Taylor was helping local first responders by going door to door during evacuations. His last contact with dispatch came while he was helping a family evacuate their home.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later found evidence that he died during that evacuation effort. The medical examiner is investigating.

Honoring David Taylor On Monday, Stitt ordered that all American and Oklahoma flags on state property be lowered to half-staff in honor of Taylor.

“Officer Taylor made the ultimate sacrifice while serving others,” Stitt said in a news release. “He put the safety of Oklahoma families ahead of his own, and his courage will not be forgotten. Sarah and I are praying for his family and his fellow officers.”

Flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise Tuesday, Sept. 1, until sunset on Friday, Sept. 4.

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6-year-old overcomes cancer, spinal cord injury with grit and determination: “I can do it”

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Nicky Zizaza

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — Matias was just a baby when his parents learned he had a rare childhood cancer.

The cancer and a spinal cord injury affected his ability to walk. Today, Matias can walk, but he continues to work on his strength, balance and movement with help from a specialized rehabilitation team at Kennedy Krieger Institute.

When Matias was 7 1/2 months old, his parents, Rachel Osborn and Jason Kling, began noticing symptoms they couldn’t explain.

“We started noticing some symptoms that we really didn’t know what they were. They were kind of loosely connected,” Rachel said.

The family kept looking for answers, bringing Matias to his pediatrician eight times over five weeks.

“We still didn’t have the answers,” Rachel said.

Eventually, the tests revealed the diagnosis every parent fears.

“They sat us down. Matias has cancer,” Rachel said.

Matias was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that develops from immature nerve cells. A tumor was pressing against his spinal cord. Surgeons removed what they could, and chemotherapy was used to treat the remaining cancer.

Then, seemingly overnight, Matias faced another devastating challenge.

“Matias went to bed with full use of his legs and when he woke up the next time he was paralyzed from the waist down,” Rachel said.

Although the tumor was removed, Matias’ family still didn’t know how much movement he would regain.

His parents focused on what they could do next. They started physical therapy as soon as he was medically cleared.

“We knew that there was a really narrow window of time to start physical therapy,” Rachel said. “Literally the day that he was cleared we started physical therapy.”

That search for rehabilitation eventually led the family to Kennedy Krieger Institute.

They learned about the center through another family who had gone through a similar experience.

“We came to learn there was a world-renowned spinal cord injury center 45 minutes away from where we live,” Rachel said.

Physical therapist Rachel Mertins has worked with Matias since he was about 1 1/2 years old.

Over the years, she has watched him grow from a toddler into a determined 6-year-old.

“He’s positive and he is upbeat, and he makes jokes, and he interacts with adults and the kids and everyone in this place and brings so much joy,” Mertins said.

During therapy sessions, Matias works on movements that may seem small but represent major milestones for him.

He practices stepping, balance and body control. He uses sensors and exercises designed to help improve his movement and coordination.

There are no shortcuts — just repetition, patience and persistence.

And Matias keeps showing up.

His father says having an identical twin who is able-bodied has also played an important role in Matias’ outlook.

“The fact that he has an identical twin who is able bodied, I think that did a huge amount for his mentality and his spirit to know that he wanted to move like his brother,” Jason said.

That determination is on display during therapy.

When asked if he wants to try a different way to complete an exercise, Matias has a simple response.

“I can do it.”

His family says that attitude has become part of who he is.

For Rachel, Matias’ story is about much more than cancer or his spinal cord injury.

“The resilience, I think for me the story of Matias is a story of resilience and grit, not only for him but for us, his twin, our family, the community,” she said.

Today, Matias continues his rehabilitation, working toward greater independence and mobility.

For this 6-year-old, that means doing what kids do best: laughing, playing, dreaming and believing the next milestone is possible.

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.

Lawsuit notice alleges KCK Public Schools failed to prevent assault of 11-year-old student

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Andy Alcock

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    KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KMBC) — An attorney for a boy who claims he was both physically and sexually assaulted in a bathroom at Eisenhower Middle School has filed notice with the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools Board of Education of a pending $5 million lawsuit.

“He was violently offended by a number of boys against his will, physically restrained while they sexually assaulted him,” said David Smith, the attorney for the boy and his parents.

The notice states the incident happened April 30, and the boy was 11 and in sixth grade at the time.

Smith said a group of three or four eighth-grade boys dragged the sixth grader into a bathroom and then took turns hitting him in the head, stomach, and sexually assaulting him while restraining him.

“He lives in daily fear. And that’s really unfortunate for somebody his age. He’s in counseling,” Smith said.

Smith’s lawsuit notice claims Eisenhower Middle School had shut down several bathrooms due to other incidents before this one.

And the notice claims there was supposed to be an adult monitor outside the bathroom when the boy was assaulted, but there wasn’t one.

“That’s a gross mistake by the school district’s part, because there have been enough things that have happened in the bathrooms at that school that this was foreseeable. And if it’s foreseeable, it’s predictable. And if it’s predictable, it’s preventable. All they needed was to step up and follow their own policies, and they failed,” Smith said.

KCKPS School Board members Valdenia Winn and Vice-chair Wanda Brownlee Paige said administrators didn’t tell them what happened at Eisenhower Middle School after the incident as they should have.

As a result, they were blindsided by the lawsuit notice issued August 18.

“I didn’t know anything because when the gentleman knocked on the door, I said, well, how can I help you? He said, I want to serve you with this. And I said, well, what is it? He said, just read it. And then when I shut the door, I was like, wow, this is unbelievable,” Paige said.

“It’s not fair to the board. We were elected by the people to at least be the caretakers. But if we don’t know, things happen, how can we reassure our parents, our constituents, our staff, the students? There is a serious communication problem with us. If it’s not deliberate and intentional, then do differently,” Winn said.

Smith said to his knowledge, Eisenhower parents with students not involved in the incident weren’t told what happened either.

He said KCKPS police officers ultimately showed up after the assault and referred the boy to Sunflower House to be examined.

But Smith has not yet received a copy of the police report he requested.

“As far as this little boy knows, his violators are still free. His violators are still at school,” Smith said.

He also said the boy is now attending a different school.

KMBC 9 Investigates has learned Maria Castleberry was a KCKPS police officer at Eisenhower Middle until she was fired in January.

Castleberry believes she was forced out for refusing to drop charges against a boy who badly beat up a girl at Eisenhower Middle.

Former KCKPS Deputy Police Chief Sy Colaco wrote a letter to the administration defending Castleberry.

Colaco, who was also later let go, said Castleberry was unfairly fired, “railroaded”.

With Castleberry gone, KMBC 9 Investigates has learned there was no police officer working at Eisenhower Middle the day the boy claims he was assaulted.

KMBC 9 Investigates first raised safety concerns about the KCKPS system in 2023.

Marialexa Sanoja quit her job as a KCKPS police officer at Wyandotte High School in frustration due to guns and drugs on school property, daily fights, and sex in the school frequently going unreported to parents and with little consequences.

“Nobody was hearing what I was saying. Nobody’s hearing the parents,” Sanoja said in 2023.

“Our schools are some of the safest places for our students in the community,” said KCKPS Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield in 2023. “Unfortunately, in the urban core, you may see more fights, unfortunately.”

The school district has thirty days from the August 18 notice to respond to the pending lawsuit.

Administrators declined a request for documents and comment on the boy’s Eisenhower Middle School claims, stating they are exempt under Kansas law.

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.

‘I just want to have a home again’: Fire displaces dozens who rebuilt their lives after homelessness

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Chantelle Navarro

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — Heartbreaking stories came from the ashes of a northwest Oklahoma City apartment complex after a Sunday afternoon fire left dozens of residents who moved there from the streets without homes.

Firefighters are working to learn how the fire started, but investigators said the flames erupted from the second floor. People living at the Meadows Apartments said it only took about 15 minutes for the flames to make their way through.

Lisa Moistner walked around the debris left by the fire.

“This is Noir. He was at the same camp as me. He works all the time,” Moistner said. “He wasn’t even here during the fire because he works all the time. As crazy as that sounds, homeless people have jobs.”

They are two of about 50 people who were once homeless before moving into the apartment complex thanks to Oklahoma City’s Key to Home partnership. The partnership between the city and nonprofits helps place unhoused people in homes.

That all changed on Sunday when a fire started on the second floor. It quickly made its way through the attic.

Moistner said she was half asleep when she heard her neighbor banging on the door.

“She was screaming at me, ‘Lisa, get out of your apartment! It’s on fire. Everything’s on fire!'” Moistner said.

Some witnesses told investigators that they saw someone set the fire, but it’s still under investigation. So far, no one has been charged.

Moistner reflected on her journey from homelessness to finding a home at the Meadows Apartments.

“I was out on the streets for 10 years because a car accident. I had to come work. I never thought I was going to get to get another home again,” she said. “It was a home for me, and now you’re cleaning up the yard every day. This is my home, our neighbors. We’ve all grown to like each other. We all have become good friends. It’s like a big family out here.”

The Homeless Alliance, one of the groups involved in the Key to Home partnership, is now working to help the displaced residents rebuild their lives.

“I’m always blown away by the resiliency of the folks who utilize our services,” Meghan Mueller of the Homeless Alliance said. “And so hopefully this is one of those cases where we’ll see that resiliency on display.”

Moistner also highlighted the reality she and other members of the community face.

“Half of the city is one paycheck away from me in the same position that I was in. I know that for a fact. The economy is not that great. There’s nothing wrong with any of these people. They’re not thieves,” she said.

But for Moistner, it’s not clear what happens next.

“I guess it’s either going to be a hotel or a tent. I just want to get my life back together. I’m tired of being on the streets,” she said.

The fire not only destroyed the residents’ homes but also took away everything that made them feel at home, including furniture and clothes.

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ISP: Former Indiana deputy charged, accused of improperly using Flock access more than 2,000 times

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Fletcher Keel

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    JACKSON COUNTY, Ind. (WLWT) — A former Indiana deputy has been charged and accused of improperly accessing Flock camera data, according to Indiana State Police.

Troopers say the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department contacted ISP on August 14 after an internal audit of their department’s Flock camera access revealed the “improper use” of the system by Deputy Skylar Thompson, 31.

According to ISP, the audit revealed that Thompson allegedly searched the same registration plate number over 2,000 times between December 2025 and August 2026 through his Flock account access.

Detectives with ISP’s Sellersburg Post immediately began an investigation into the accusations.

Officials say the investigation’s findings were presented to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office. As a result, Thompson was charged with one count of Official Misconduct (level six felony) and one count of fraud (class A misdemeanor).

ISP says Thompson has been arrested and will “soon” face an initial appearance in the Jackson County Circuit Court.

Thompson is no longer employed with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

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Fraud suspect shares name with former pro football player in Iowa

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By KCCI Staff

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    POLK COUNTY, Iowa (KCCI) — A man accused of running a fraud scheme and pretending to be an NFL player has been arrested.

Daejon Love, 35, is charged after allegedly targeting 26 women across four states. Investigators said Love used dating apps to meet women and posed as either a real estate tycoon or a player for the San Francisco 49ers.

Interestingly, a central Iowa man shares a similar name with the suspect. DaeJohn Love, whose name is spelled slightly differently, was actually a professional football player in Des Moines.

DaeJohn Love said he has been receiving unwanted online attention due to the scam.

“I didn’t really dive so much into it to realize that we share the same name. In fact, I am the real DaeJohn Love. But to my understanding, he is a real Daejon, but I just don’t think what he was portraying was necessarily real,” DaeJohn Love said.

DaeJohn Love played football for Upper Iowa University. He then played indoor football for the Iowa Barnstormers from 2013 to 2017.

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Ex-safety director sentenced in fatal hyperbaric chamber explosion

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Darren Cunningham

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    PONTIAC, Michigan (WXYZ) — The former safety director of a hyperbaric chamber facility in Troy learned how long he’ll spend in prison for the death of Thomas Cooper.

The 5-year-old was killed when a hyperbaric chamber exploded in January 2025 at the Oxford Center in Troy.

Jeff Mostellar, former safety director of the Oxford Center, was sentenced to 19 months to 15 years in prison. He had pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter.

He’s one of four employees charged. His co-defendants include the CEO, the facility manager, and a chamber operator.

It was found that the facility did not use ‘grounding straps’. The straps are worn by patients to prevent static sparks and eliminate fire hazards by safely releasing static electricity during hyperbaric chamber therapy.

During Mosteller’s sentencing, Cooper’s family wasn’t in attendance and did not issue a victim impact statement. The prosecutor said they simply aren’t in a place to speak on this tragedy. It’s just too painful.

Mosteller also chose not to address the court.

His defense attorney told the judge the facility’s practice of not using grounding straps was put in motion well before Mosteller began working at the location. But she said her client admits he failed to take corrective action.

Defense attorney Alona Sharon said, “He is, your honor, someone who made a horrific mistake in this case that caused a tremendous loss for this family. He understands the devastating nature of what happened and of his mistake and lapse in judgment.”

Judge Kwamé Rowe said, “It was incumbent upon you to say something.”

“I don’t understand that reasoning behind Mr. Mosteller ignoring National Fire Code, ignoring the Seacrest manual and ignoring his own training that he would have received in HBOT,” the judge said.

Assistant Michigan Attorney General Chris Kessel said, “The real-world consequence of that was that a 5-year-old boy whose life hadn’t even started burned alive while his mother watched.”

The legal proceedings are far from over in this tragedy. In addition to the civil case, those three other individuals charged are still awaiting trial.

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Six workers injured at Ford Field after Ed Sheeran concert

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Faraz Javed , Natalia Escalante

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    DETROIT (WXYZ) — Multiple people were hospitalized after an Ed Sheeran concert at Ford Field Saturday night.

Officials at Ford Field say the incident happened in the stadium’s vehicle tunnel as crews were loading out. Specific details about the incident haven’t been released by officials yet.

The Detroit Fire Department says six adults were taken to the hospital. Superior Ambulance, which was staffing the event, took two people to the hospital. Detroit Emergency Medical Services took four other people to the hospital.

None of the injuries are life threatening, the fire department said. When the patients were taken to the hospital, two were in serious condition and four were in stable condition.

“I heard there were six people injured, me being in one of them,” James Dishman said.

It was Dishman’s first day on the job as a temporary worker at Ford Field. The Virginia man says he was among the workers caught in the chaos but escaped with relatively minor injuries.

Twenty-four-year-old Roxana Padilla says she saw the incident up close and was one of the people injured. Padilla works as a supervisor for Minutemen Staffing, a company that supplies workers for events at Ford Field.

“I didn’t even know if I should scream. I was literally right in front of the (golf) cart, right in front of everything. Like I saw everything coming through. Out of nowhere, I see right behind her a really big forklift coming so fast, so fast, like I don’t even know how many miles per hour. And one second I thought, he’s not going to stop,” Padilla said.

She says crews had finished cleaning the stadium floor and were heading toward a tunnel used by vehicles and equipment. That’s when Padilla says a forklift crashed into a golf cart at the bottom of the tunnel. The golf cart was carrying two of her colleagues.

“… we see the forklift driving so fast right here. And that’s when it impacted the mini (golf) cart. The mini (golf) cart just flipped over. Everybody got out, like they got out of the mini cart. They fell. It went 360, and then the forklift just kept driving,” Padilla said.

Padilla shared a picture of the forklift taken by one of her employees. Padilla says she tried to get out of the way but was hit during the chaos.

“I was bleeding. Like you could see the whole entire blood all over the floor. My brother’s right there, stepping on it right now,” she said pointing to the picture. “That was the forklift that hit the stage. This is the mini (golf) cart that I was talking about that she was in that flipped over. There was a lot of employees everywhere. That was the forklift that hit the stage. That’s where it impacted.”

As Padilla recovers, she’s waiting to see if she will need surgery.

“I felt like a lot of pain on my jaw, within my chin, my nose. They said that I had fractured my nose and my septum,” she said. “… we’re just going to wait til the swelling goes down and see if we need surgery.”

“Why were they driving fast? Like, I don’t understand still.”

Ford Field said one of the six workers injured is a member of their team.

“Ford Field has begun a full review and is cooperating with the appropriate authorities and with the event’s production partners. Out of respect for the people involved and the integrity of that review, we will not speculate on the cause. We are grateful to the Detroit Fire Department and EMS for their rapid response,” Ford Field said in a statement.

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.

Midway Apple Harvest canceled after spring freeze devastates orchard

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Julia Sandor

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    MIDWAY, Utah (KSTU) — A fall tradition in Midway is on hold this year after a late spring freeze severely impacted apple crops at Wasatch Mountain State Park’s historic Huber Grove orchard.

For generations, families have visited Huber Grove each fall to pick apples from trees that date back to the late 1800s. But this year, park officials say there simply won’t be enough fruit to support the annual Apple Harvest event.

“The grove is known for the homes that used to be here and for the apple orchard,” said Jonathan Hunt, park manager at Wasatch Mountain State Park. “A lot of the trees were here back in the late 1800s. They’re pushing 150 years old, and they’re still producing apples.”

Typically, the orchard’s roughly 80 apple trees produce thousands of apples each season. This year, however, the harvest has been drastically reduced.

“We usually have a good and bad year. This year is bad and worse,” Hunt said.

According to park officials, an unusually warm start to spring caused the trees to bud early. When freezing temperatures returned in April and early May, much of the crop was lost.

“We had a phenomenal early spring,” Hunt explained. “The snow melted in the middle of March. The leaves came out, the buds came out on the trees, and then in April and early May we had a lot of freezing. So we lost the opportunity to grow apples this year.”

The annual Apple Harvest allows visitors to call for a spot and fill a bushel with apples picked directly from the orchard. Because of the poor crop yield, organizers have canceled it for the season.

Even so, local tourism leaders say there are still plenty of reasons for visitors to make the trip to Midway this fall.

“We’ve got Swiss Days just happening in a couple of days, and that’s going to bring quite a few people to town,” said Dallin Koecher, executive director of Heber Valley Tourism and Economic Development. “We’re still attracting visitors to the valley for events. Some of the weather has canceled some things, but there’s still a lot more to do, from golf and the railroad to the crater and all sorts of fun things.”

As summer transitions to fall, the Wasatch Back is already beginning to show signs of changing colors, drawing visitors to enjoy the scenery despite the disappointing apple season.

For many residents and returning visitors, Huber Grove remains a special destination regardless of the harvest.

“A lot of people who pick apples here are repeat customers,” Hunt said. “It’s their family tradition to come pick apples. When we don’t have apples, they just have to change their plans. They’ll still come for a walk and enjoy the fall leaves.”

While the iconic Apple Harvest will take a year off, park officials hope visitors will continue to enjoy the grove, its history and the changing autumn landscape that make Midway a popular destination each fall.

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.

103 years young: Sandy’s oldest resident celebrates milestone birthday

CNN Newsource on September 1, 2026

By Amy Nay

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    SANDY, Utah (KSTU) — At 103 years old, Florence “Floss” Turnbow has learned a thing or two about life.

Her advice for living a long, healthy life?

“Just be good. Don’t be bad. And work.”

Floss celebrated her 103rd birthday Saturday surrounded by family, friends and plenty of people who wanted to honor Sandy City’s oldest resident.

“Say hello!” someone called out as guests greeted Floss.

“Hello!” she responded, laughing.

Friends and family call her Floss, a woman who has spent much of her life making things for the people she loves.

She is a seasoned quilter who has made more than 6,000 quilts over the years. Some of her masterpieces were on display at Saturday’s celebration, while her quilting even inspired the custom cookies made for the occasion.

Her family says that kind of hard work is part of what makes Floss who she is.

Three of her five sons and both of her twin daughters were there to celebrate her milestone birthday.

“My mom worked hard throughout her life,” daughter Marva Turnbow Anderson said through tears. “We love her!”

Her daughter Marsha Harmon says that work ethic has been passed down through the generations.

“She’s given us such a good work ethic throughout our lives, and we’re so blessed to have her still living,” Harmon said.

Her oldest son, Lynn, says his mother’s advice can be summed up simply: “She says hard work. She says just keep going. Keep swinging.”

Floss spent most of her life in the tiny Uintah Basin town of Tabiona, where she and her husband, Leo, raised their family. She was widowed in 1999.

In recent years, she moved to Sandy, where she now lives at Crescent Living Center near 110th South.

And her family says she continues to make an impression on everyone around her.

“I’m just glad she’s still here,” her son Jerry Turnbow said.

“Beautiful,” another family member said when asked to use one word to describe his mom.

The celebration included music from her great-nieces, who serenaded her with a special performance.

Mayor Monica Zoltanski also stopped by to honor Floss, presenting her with an America 250 coin and pin and a special gift.

“You’ve been alive for more than a third of our country’s history,” Zoltanski told her.

The mayor says having someone like Floss in the community is a reminder that Sandy is so much more than meets the eye.

“We are more than our places or businesses. It’s more about the people,” Zoltanski said.

And after 103 years, Floss says one of the best parts of reaching this milestone was seeing people she hadn’t seen in years.

“I think it’s beautiful — for people to come that I haven’t seen for ages. So it’s been lovely,” she said.

So naturally, the mayor wanted to know the secret to making it to 103.

“So, 103 — healthy, happy. I want to get all the advice and tips I can,” Zoltanski said.

Floss laughed at the question.

“Advice? Just be good! Don’t be bad!” she said. “And work. You’ve gotta work.”

Wise words from a woman who has certainly done her share.

Here’s to many more, Floss, and happy birthday!

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.