Author: CNN Newsource

By Meghan Mosley

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    PUTNAM CITY, Oklahoma (KOCO) — A Putnam City police officer was honored Wednesday after a mission to spread holiday cheer ended with needing a Christmas miracle.

It was a typical day in December when the Putnam City Police Department set out to deliver gifts for Christmas.

“It started off as a fun day, because we were delivering presents to one of our families we adopted through our Christmas program through care share,” Captain Greg Mauck of the Putnam City Public Schools Police said.

However, the situation quickly changed when Assistant Chief Herb Nelson suddenly collapsed.

“There was no warning signs, or he hadn’t been feeling bad or anything like that. He just doubled over when he was lifting presents out of the car,” Chief Mark Stout of the Putnam City Public Schools Police said. “I had so many things running through my mind. So many.”

While some might think it is second nature for these officers to perform CPR, they never expected it to be for one of their own.

“We had to start doing CPR on him,” Stout said. “Fortunately, our training kicked in, and we were able to just get right into it without any question.”

Their quick action, which likely saved Nelson’s life, was recognized on Wednesday when state Sen. Julia Kirt honored them with a citation. “

We heard about your amazing bravery, and we wanted to recognize you,” Kirt said. “I was just blown away by this story, and thank you for your work and being prepared and doing such an amazing duty for your colleague.”

Nelson spent the winter break in the ICU, but his colleagues say he is now on the mend.

A GoFundMe has been created to help with expenses.

“He’s doing a lot better. So, hopefully with everybody’s thoughts and prayers, we’ll get him back to work,” Mauck 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 Steven Yablonski

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    LARGO, Florida (WFOR) — A Florida woman is suing her former apartment complex after she said she suffered from severe medical issues due to repeated spider bites.

Patricia Shields said spiders were found in the bathroom of her old apartment in Largo and even had to have some of her toes amputated due to being bitten repeatedly.

In a lawsuit against Grand Oak Apartments in Largo, she said she reported the issue to management, and they did nothing to help her.

“They threw them away or blew me off,” Shields said. “And then the very last time when I went and asked them to release me from my lease, mutual agreement, and they told me ‘No.'”

According to court documents, the apartment complex is denying Shields’ allegations and said they aren’t responsible for causing her claimed injuries and damages.

Shields, who is on disability and lives in section 8 housing, said her options were limited.

“I just want everything settled,” Shields said. “I really just want to go back to my life.”

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 Mike Hellgren

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore agreed on Wednesday to pay $14 million to a man who was wrongfully convicted of a 1986 murder.

Gary Washington spent more than 30 years in prison and always maintained his innocence. He alleged that police threatened a child witness whose testimony led to his conviction.

The witness statement signed by 12-year-old Otis Robinson in January 1987 named Gary Washington as a killer.

It was the key evidence in the case against Washington, who spent more than three decades behind bars after a jury convicted him.

The tragedy began in the 2300 block of Barclay Street in East Baltimore two days after Christmas in 1986.

The victim, Faheem “Bobo” Ali, was walking down the street, according to court records, when he encountered two men. They began arguing. One of them shot and killed Ali.

Police focused on Washington as the suspect. A new dad who was just 25 years old at the time, he lived on the block.

Washington never wavered in his claims that he did not commit the killing.

In court filings, Washington’s lawyers said police, desperate to make an arrest, threatened the 12-year-old that if he did not identify a shooter, he would be taken from his mother and could be arrested for the homicide himself.

Baltimore City’s spending board voted Wednesday to pay Washington $14 million to resolve his civil rights lawsuit and claims police manipulated witnesses and fabricated evidence.

“Based on the unreliability of the detectives’ testimony at this point due to their advanced age, due to the recanted witness, which was the reason the plaintiff was released from prison, we felt at this juncture prior to trial was the best time to settle the case,” Chief Baltimore City Solicitor Justin Conroy said. “And so, for that reason, we negotiated pretty aggressively and got a settlement value that we think is the best deal for the city and resolves the matter.”

Mayor Brandon Scott said the Baltimore Police Department has changed dramatically since the Washington case.

“We have come a long way. First of all, making sure that we do a much better job of hiring and keeping folks that should be employed as police officers versus those who may have questionable character,” Scott said.

This is the second settlement Washington has received since his release in 2019.

The state authorized a $3 million payment that came with an apology from the governor in 2024.

“11,459 days or 31 years were stolen from Mr. Washington,” Governor Wes Moore said at the time.

Washington told the governor he got through the ordeal by reading, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Strength to Love,” a collection of the late civil rights leader’s sermons.

“On behalf of the entire state, I’m sorry for the failure of the justice system,” Moore said.

Washington’s attorney Renee Spence told WJZ Investigates, “Almost exactly 39 years ago today, Baltimore homicide detectives went into Mr. Washington’s house and wrongfully arrested him for the murder of Faheem Ali. The arrest and Mr. Washington’s eventual wrongful conviction were based on evidence these detectives fabricated. While this settlement cannot make up for the more than three decades Mr. Washington spent wrongfully imprisoned and falsely branded a murderer, it is an important end to a nearly 40-year legal battle to clear his name and hold these officers accountable.”

Both of Washington’s parents died while he was in prison. He is now 64 years old.

“She knew that you were innocent,” Gov. Moore said of Washington’s mother. “…I know she’s looking down with pride in her son.”

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By Samantha Chaney

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — What do you get when you combine Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and a “Seinfeld” reference in a beer? It’s a hit at the Stellwagen Beer Company in Marshfield, Massachusetts.

“We’re getting phone calls at all hours of the day. Getting emails nonstop,” said Eddie Letsche, the brewery’s head of sales and brand development.

Customers have been flocking in for the brewery’s “Love the Drake” lager.

“It’s a light lager, but we put a little Citra hops in there,” Letsche said.

According to the brewery’s owner, Mike Snowdale, the delicious taste isn’t the only thing drawing people in.

“The thing that’s resonating with folks right now is the can design. It’s the name and the fact that the Pats are good again this year,” Snowdale explained.

Letsche came up with the name last January, combining a classic “Seinfeld” reference with an image inspired by Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

“Wishful thinking, I guess,” he said. “I have season tickets to the Pats, and I was hoping Drake Maye was going to rock and roll this year and thankfully, [he] has.”

Since the Patriots returned to the playoffs, Snowdale told WBZ-TV the beer has been selling faster than the brewery can restock.

“We can’t keep it in house right now. We had a batch come out on Friday, and it was spoken for within hours,” he said.

“We had people lining up at the door at like 12 o’clock, people walking out with cases,” Letsche added.

While overwhelming, they said it’s a good problem to have.

“It’s good for business and we’re just happy the Pats are winning again,” Letsche said. “I think everybody is.”

For those hoping to grab a can, Stellwagen said more is on the way, with another batch available next Tuesday.

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 Breana Pitts

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    BROOKLINE, Massachusetts (WBZ) — There’s a pottery studio in Brookline, Massachusetts that’s been bringing people together for more than 50 years with clay.

Feet of Clay on Station Street is a cooperatively run studio that has been part of Brookline since 1974. The block has evolved into a small creative hub, and inside the studio, the atmosphere is calm, welcoming, and hands-on.

“This is where people come to relax and to really think creatively,” said potter Jennifer Wyman. “To learn something cool. To build some skills that are opposite of what they do for work. All kinds of doctors, lawyers, they’re all out here just trying it.”

Wyman is one of several artists who run the studio, where everyone pitches in. Members mix glazes, load kilns, clean the space, and even manage social media.

“It’s not just a studio where leadership does the work, everybody does the work,” Wyman explained. “It makes people really own the space, and it builds community. People get to know each other.”

That sense of shared ownership is a big part of what keeps the studio thriving. Feet of Clay is home to about 140 potters, offering independent studio space for members as well as classes for all skill levels, including children.

The kids’ classes, Wyman said, often produce some of the most memorable work.

“They’re so free with what they make,” she said. “Some of the coolest pieces we see (come) from the kids’ class.”

She said it’s because they don’t feel like their pottery has to be perfect.

“You might as well have a machine make it, if it’s going to be perfect,” Wyman said.

Pottery though, she added, has a way of humbling even experienced artists.

“It really shows your personality,” Wyman said. “Are you going to be hard on yourself, or are you going to accept that it takes time, and you’ll figure it out? You have to slow down to enjoy it, that’s what makes it so meditative.”

After each piece is shaped, it’s fired in the kiln and then dipped into a wide range of glazes. Many of the glaze formulas have been passed down through generations of potters, adding another layer of history to each finished piece.

For Wyman, the work is deeply personal. Her inspiration often shows up in miniature sculptures.

“This little chair represents rest and how much I love birds,” she said. “Each piece means a lot to me. It’s a way I tell my story.”

The studio offers a range of class packages and a pay-what-you-can option based on income, making the art form accessible to more people.

Clay, Wyman said, has a way of revealing who you are.

“You can see that it’s a certain person’s personality. It just comes right out into the pot, whether you like it or not,” she 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 Annie Brown

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    LEXINGTON, Kentucky (WLEX) — It’s said a woman’s hair can be her crown — and for some, losing it can feel like losing a part of themselves. In Lexington, one local salon is giving that crown back, helping women veterans reclaim not just their hair, but their confidence.

For nearly 20 years, Melanie Day has stood behind the salon chair, listening to stories and seeing the quiet battles her clients face.

“You see needs,” Day said. “You see what people are experiencing.”

She knows hair is so much more than just hair — it can be the spark that helps someone feel whole again.

“Hair is so much more than just cosmetic. It’s everything. A lot of times women are going through things quietly. They don’t feel seen,” Day said.

So she decided to do something about it.

Day partnered with the VA to provide free wigs to women veterans battling hair loss due to medical conditions like post-partum, PTSD, cancer treatment side effects, or years under military hair regulations that left lasting damage.

“That really takes a toll on your hair after a while,” she said. “We’re able to help with all of that.”

Each wig is tailored not just to a head, but to a life.

“What sets us apart is that we’re there from start to finish. We help with scalp care. We are working with your care team a lot of times. The providers are contacting us on behalf of their patients because they recognize their patients need this service,” Day said.

“I have one client who, she had a lot of head trauma from surgeries, things like that. The wigs she bought online were itchy. They hurt, they didn’t fit right. So we were able to find and we were able to make wigs for her that felt comfortable, that were light,” Day said.

Tamika Saxx, an Army veteran who served for 14 years, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. For a while, to her, the mirror showed a stranger — until she got connected with Day.

“I just remember when she told me it was ready I was excited. I didn’t know what to expect. And when I walked in and she put it on my head and I just teared up. I’m getting emotional thinking about it now. I said Melanie, I look like me again. I feel like me again,” Saxx 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.