Author: CNN Newsource

By Marissa Sulek

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    CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — As members of the plumbers’ union, Local 130, plowed through the Chicago River, dyeing it a glowing green, thousands lined Wacker Drive and the bridges to catch a glimpse of how the process is done.

“It’s fascinating that it’s orange, that they dump orange dye into the river. It’s like the science behind it makes you think,” one visitor said.

The group, made up of Chicagoans and visitors from California and Tennessee, came to be part of this famous Chicago tradition.

“We came out obviously for the green river. We came out for the energy. We love the city of Chicago. We love the Irish spirit,” the visitor said.

“I wanted her to experience it because I did when I was a little kid with my parents,” said Amanda Griffin.

Griffin made a special day trip from Michigan, so her daughter, Payton, could experience the event.

“I don’t feel like it was as populated as it is now. So it’s definitely much busier, much crowded. There’s drinks everywhere,” she said.

The annual event left the river as green as far as the eye could see. If someone didn’t come prepared, vendors all over the Loop were selling extra gear.

“My cousin made this hat for me. I am happier than a Packer fan on Sunday,” said Joe Rubin.

Rubin already had his green for the day.

“I mean, we are turning the river green! I mean that’s almost as beautiful as the Mona Lisa, granted, here in the city of Chicago area, compared to France, it’s a different world and a different area,” he said.

The festivities didn’t stop there. At the downtown St. Patrick’s Day parade, attendees could hear the Irish spirit.

“Even though I’ve lived here for over 20 years, I’ve never actually come out to the parade,” said Rachel Blackburn. “I usually just watch it from the comfort of my home.”

Blackburn and her family said after two decades of watching this from a screen, it was worth the trip to see why no city does St. Patrick’s Day like Chicago.

“It’s so much fun to come out, I recommend everyone do it next year,” she said.

If you didn’t get a chance to see the river dyed green, it should stay that way for a few days, weather pending. The South Side Irish Parade and the Northwest Side Parade are on Sunday.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Conor Wight

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    OWATONNA, Minnesota (WCCO) — The Minnesota National Guard is on standby in various spots in southern Minnesota, prepared for activation should rescue operations become necessary during this weekend’s storm.

Colonel John McCrae, director of operations for the Minnesota National Guard, said that members are in position at armory locations in Albert Lea, Fairmont, Owatonna and Redwood Falls.

Gov. Tim Walz has signed an executive order authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to support emergency operations for a winter storm expected late Saturday into Sunday.

“We have armories all around the state, and that allows us to be able to respond pretty quickly in times like this,” McCrae said.

According to McCrae, those four locations in the southern portion of the state are unique in that each is equipped with what’s called a Small Unit Support Vehicle. In person, there’s nothing small about them; two large cabs are positioned on tracked threads, allowing them to maneuver on snow and ice.

These vehicles are used to rescue people trapped in their cars or even homes that may have lost power.

Sgt. First Class Trevor Nelson is among the four people on standby at the armory in Owatonna. He said that they are essentially on call with the emergency administrative team of Steele County. Once they get the go ahead, they would venture out on rescue missions to bring people back to the warming center inside the armory.

“[We’ve] been kind of a go-to because they know we’re always ready, we’re involved in the community,” Nelson said. “It’s too easy to go out and do what could be very difficult for a plow truck or a fire department or ambulance.”

McCrae said that it’s possible that guard members will be activated closer to the metro depending on how the storm evolves.

For Nelson and his team, the armory in Owatonna is now home until around Monday morning. They are under orders to remain there at the ready 24/7 until the worst of the weather passes.

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 Jesse Zanger, Naomi Ruchim

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    NEWARK, New Jersey (WCBS) — Four people, including two teens and two construction workers, were hurt in a house explosion in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday.

All of the victims all expected to survive.

It happened at around 12:20 p.m. at Magazine Street near Marne Street. Construction workers working on a water line struck a gas line, causing the explosion, which tore the front facade off the home and caused windows to shatter, according to Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda.

Neighbors said the blast shook the entire block and they could smell the gas immediately.

“We heard a loud boom, very loud. The entire building shook,” a woman named Mariana said. “The facade of the house was completely gone. There was a lot of smoke coming out. Everybody was running around.”

She added, “I knew it was an explosion. I didn’t know of what nature. I was scared, startled.”

Video from the scene shows a mound of debris in the street. Resident Angela Villamarin, who lives on the first floor but wasn’t home at the time, returned to find her mattress blown to the porch and her two cats missing.

The neighboring houses were evacuated as a precaution and neighbors stepped in to help one another.

“One of the tenants whose two kids were injured, he just came up to me, he was crying, and so I just was like, ‘How can I help you?'” neighbor Christian Rodriguez said. “And he was telling me he just needs help, he doesn’t know where to go or what to do. So I just brought him over to the Red Cross and helped translate for him.”

The Red Cross is now helping more than a dozen families with food and a place to stay. Over 20 people have been displaced, and it’s unclear when they’ll be able to return.

Authorities also removed roughly 15 dogs from the backyard of a neighboring home.

CBS News New York reached out to PSEG, as well as the company whose name was on the construction equipment, for comment on this incident but has not heard back.

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 Stephanie Ballesteros

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — An infant has died following a serious crash involving an ambulance in Philadelphia’s Frankford neighborhood on Sunday morning. According to police, the driver of the ambulance, a 51-year-old man, will face charges, including DUI and related offenses.

The crash happened at the intersection of Torresdale and Harbison avenues, around 5:15 a.m. According to police, a private ambulance, transporting an infant and a mother, was speeding down Torresdale Avenue, but the ambulance’s emergency lights and sirens were off.

As the ambulance ran a red light, a Honda Accord heading eastbound on Harbison Avenue struck the driver’s side front door of the ambulance, police said.

The impact of the crash caused the infant and mother to be ejected from the vehicle’s front windshield. Police said both were found on the road.

CBS News Philadelphia was at the scene where a heavily damaged ambulance was on its side, and another vehicle had crashed into a nearby building.

The infant and mother were taken to the hospital, where the baby was pronounced dead. The mother is currently in critical condition after suffering severe head trauma.

The ambulance driver was also taken to the hospital. The driver of the Honda refused medical treatment at the scene.

Police said they had initially been called to a home on the 6600 block of Ditman Street for a report of an unresponsive infant, but before police arrived, the infant and mother had left in the private ambulance.

The crash remains under investigation.

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 Janay Reece

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — The Tender Bridge’s youth hockey program, the Baltimore Banners, is celebrating after a major $500,000 in grant award and donations were announced Saturday.

The team says the funds will be used to help Patterson Park’s Mimi DiPietro Family Skating Center stay open, as the city planned to close it at the end of the 2026 season, citing structural concerns and more.

“This is not a small amount, and I’m very confident that it’s enough to hopefully keep this rink open for a little while longer,” said Jack Burton, Executive Director of Tender Bridge and the Baltimore Banners head coach.

The team says the closure would have placed this community resource at risk.

The power of community On Saturday, the Baltimore Banners invited local community members, elected officials, and supporters of youth recreation to their Save Our Rink Rally and game in support of the skating center.

The Baltimore Banners’ program includes the Junior Banners, Banners, and Banners for Life, serving those from ages 8 to 24.

For many involved in the program, the rink is more than a place to play hockey. Members say it is a place of belonging, structure, and growth.

“This rink means so much more than ice,” said Jack Burton. “It is woven into the fabric of this community. To lose it without a real plan for the future would be a tremendous disservice to the people it serves.”

The rink’s location is especially important because it is centrally located near the Baltimore City neighborhoods where many of the young men and women in the program live. Organizers say that accessibility allows the Banners to serve 40-60 young people each Saturday.

“When I didn’t know how to skate — they helped me learn how to skate,” said Tarell ‘Rell’ Scott, a player on the Baltimore Banners ice hockey team.

Without the rink, the hockey programming would be pushed to use Mount Pleasant Ice Rink on the edge of the city, where scheduling and logistics are far more difficult. Organizers explained that this could lead to less ice time, no room for equipment storage, and perhaps most importantly, a major change to their current transportation model.

Many players walk to the rink, as it is close to home. Others rely on transportation nearly 100% of the time. So the ability for volunteers to make multiple trips from nearby neighborhoods is critical.

If the team has to move to Mt. Pleasant, organizers estimate they may only be able to serve about 15-20 young people per weekend– cutting more than half of those they already serve.

Youth development in Baltimore For Tender Bridge, hockey is not just a sport. It is a proven vehicle for youth development.

Through the Banners program, young people gain mentorship, accountability, confidence, and access to life-changing opportunities that extend far beyond the rink

“It builds character. For many of the kids, this is their first time ever playing hockey,” explained Jamal Perkins, a member of the Baltimore Banners board of directors. “You see them really push through.”

“The focus of this effort is not about conflict, but community,” Burton explained. “At a time when Baltimore’s young people need safe, constructive, and inspiring spaces more than ever, Patterson Park’s Mimi DiPietro Family Skating Center should be strengthened, not lost.”

Tender Bridge has expressed a desire to work collaboratively with Baltimore City toward meaningful solutions that preserve access to the rink while long-term options are explored.

“Ultimately, there’s probably going to have to be a new rink built at some point, and $500,000 is a good step to hold us over and to put some planning together. But ultimately, the goal here is to keep this rink here forever,” Burton concluded.

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 Barnas

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — In Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, where corner taverns are stitched into the cultural fabric of the South Side, Shinnick’s Pub stands as a living piece of the city’s past. Open since 1938, the bar proudly holds the title as Chicago’s oldest Irish bar, and it’s still run by the same family that took it over just after Prohibition ended.

The story begins when George and Mary (Healy) Shinnick took over the bar at 3758 S. Union Avenue in 1938. Just down the street from Al Capone’s famed Manhattan Brewing Company, the Shinnick name went up on the building and a Chicago tavern legacy was born.

Nearly three decades later, in 1966, the bar was passed down to the next generation when George Jr. and Celine (Dougherty) Shinnick took over with a plan: keep the pub rooted in family, community, and tradition.

It’s a business plan that paid off nine times.

While raising nine children in the Bridgeport neighborhood, George Jr. and Celine passed down the values and traditions that would keep the bar thriving. Today, all nine Shinnick siblings still own and operate the pub, making it one of Chicago’s rare multi-generation taverns still run by the same family.

Over the decades, three generations of Shinnick bartenders have poured beers for the people of Bridgeport. Along the way, the bar earned its own neighborhood nickname: “Little City Hall.”

Locals gather to swap stories, celebrate victories, mourn losses, and catch up on the latest neighborhood news; in other words, it’s exactly what a true Chicago bar should be.

Through the years, Shinnick’s has quietly witnessed history unfold, from the end of Prohibition and World War II to the moon landing, the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, 9/11, and even the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the family behind the bar, serving the neighborhood has always meant standing with people through life’s biggest moments.

“People come here to laugh and cry. We’re in it with them,” said Jenna Duddleston, great-granddaughter of George and Mary Shinnick.

Reflecting on the uncertainty during the pandemic, she added, “I’ve wondered if we’ve served our last beer during this pandemic, realizing we need to keep serving for 83 more years.”

The building itself reaches even further back in time. The modest brick two-flat that houses the bar was constructed in the late 1880s, ahead of Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Travelers heading to the fair’s famous White City once stopped inside for a drink and a moment of rest.

Inside, the pub still features a rare Brunswick-Balke-Collender back bar, a beautifully preserved relic from the late 19th century. Only a handful of these ornate bars remain in the world today, offering visitors a direct window into Chicago’s saloon-era past.

Before the Shinnicks arrived, much of the early history of the tavern was under the ownership of the Shallow family, who ran the bar through the late 1800s and early 1900s before ownership changed hands several times.

But since 1938, the story of the bar has been unmistakably tied to the Shinnick name.

And the secret to its longevity is simple: family.

Not just the family behind the bar—but the extended family that gathers inside it.

“How many people can say they’re bartending at the place where not only their grandparents worked, but their great-grandparents worked?” Duddleston said. “It’s so much more than being a bartender.”

Today, Chicago’s oldest Irish bar continues its tradition of community and celebration, especially on St. Patrick’s Day, when the doors open wide and the pints keep flowing.

Just remember one old-school house rule: Don’t spit on the floor.

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 Bo Evans

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    RICHARDSON, Texas (KTVT) — Every school has a crossing guard, but at one North Texas elementary campus, she’s more than an employee – she’s family.

Mornings are busy at Moss Haven Elementary in Richardson, but one thing never changes: Ms. Crawford.

“Everybody loves her. She’s here every single day,” said Adam Tharp, a Moss Haven parent who works at Lake Highlands Automotives.

“Just here to make a smile on everyone’s faces as we cross the street,” said Luke Wagner, president of the Moss Haven Elementary Dad’s Club.

“She’s out here every morning, every afternoon. She probably knows more parents on a first‑name basis than most people,” added Marcus Walther, another member of the Dad’s Club.

A community that shows up

The Dad’s Club meets regularly to support teachers, staff and students.

“We’re a group of dads who signed up to come together to better the environment here at Moss Haven Elementary,” Wagner said. “Most mornings we get about six to eight dads.”

“We’re out here running smoothly with the crossing guard situation, working in tandem with Ms. Crawford,” he added.

Trecia Crawford – known to everyone simply as Ms. Crawford – takes her job seriously.

“I have to tell them, you don’t run in the crosswalk. And they know what Ms. Crawford says: safety is first,” she said.

A setback the dads couldn’t ignore

About five months ago, Crawford’s car broke down.

“I was Lyfting here, and then when I ran out of money, I had to get on the bus,” she said. “But I had to do what I had to do.”

When the dads learned what she was dealing with, they decided to step in.

“We knew she needed a car. It took a couple of months to get it together,” Tharp said.

“I sent two emails,” Walther added. “We raised several thousand dollars in just a couple of days.”

The Dad’s Club eventually surprised Crawford with a white Jeep – a gift that left her smiling and speechless.

“Thank you, Moss Haven Elementary,” she said.

More than a crossing guard

For the dads, the gesture was about honoring someone who has become part of their daily lives.

“You see them every morning and every afternoon,” Walther said. “Whether it’s a ‘hi’ or a hug or a fist bump or ‘how’s it going,’ you start to get to know someone on more than just a casual basis.”

The Dad’s Club didn’t stop at the car. They also helped Crawford with insurance, the title, and even a few oil changes to get her started.

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By Gil Cano

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    EWA BEACH, Hawaii (KITV) — Power outages across Ewa Beach left many residents in the dark and disrupted efforts to prepare for severe weather.

Several businesses in the area, including Safeway and City Mill, lost electricity during the outages, making it difficult for residents to purchase food and emergency supplies.

Some shoppers arrived looking for specific items such as lanterns and generators but found limited options or empty shelves.

Clyde Momohara said he adjusted his plans after discovering some supplies were already gone.

“I got flashlights and batteries because they had no lanterns, so that’s what I got,” Momohara said. “Hopefully, it don’t last too much longer. Power’s been out for a while, like a couple of hours.”

At one City Mill location, power returned briefly while crews were on scene but continued to flicker on and off.

The outages also disrupted everyday plans for some residents.

Xandar Starks said he went to Safeway to pick up dinner for his family but could not do so because the store did not have electricity.

“I came to Safeway for dinner with my family in Nānākuli but currently the electricity is down,” Starks said.

Residents said the intermittent power made it difficult to prepare for the approaching storm.

Crews in the area reported that electricity continued to turn on and off throughout the day.

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.