Golf legend John Shippen’s history revealed by determined couple

CNN Newsource on March 1, 2026

By Otis Livingston

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    LINDEN, New Jersey (WCBS) — John Shippen was a child of former slaves who found his way onto a golf course and made history there.

New Jersey couple Ruby and Thurman Simmons shed light on his overlooked legacy in their book “A Golf Legend.”

“I wanted to correct the injustice that was done in the game of golf,” Thurman Simmons said. “I said, I’m gonna talk about and do some research on this guy, John Shippen.”

John Shippen was born in 1879.

“His father was a minister, Presbyterian minister, and they went to minister to Shinnecock Indians,” Thurman Simmons explained.

At Shinnecock, Shippen discovered golf and, according to Simmons, he took to it really well.

“He was making clubs, giving lessons and playing in golf tournaments, and that’s how Shippen got in,” Thurman Simmons said. “He was an American, but of African descent, and the golfers did not want to play with him. They came over from Scotland and Ireland.”

At the 1896 U.S. Open, Theodore Havemeyer, the head of the golf association, insisted he play, no matter what the other golfers said or did. Shippen finished in fifth place, winning $10 in prize money. More importantly, he secure a place in history as the first Black golf professional.

By 1924, Shippen settled in as the pro at Shady Rest Golf Course in Scotch Plains New Jersey, the first Black golf club in the country.

Shippen’s family shared their genealogy, and the couple even received one of Shippen’s original well-worn putters from someone who heard they had embarked on this project.

“This is what they call a wooden shaft,” Thurman Simmons said. “And the way they kept it straight was they would put it in hot water and then kind of straighten it out because it would warp.”

Another of the goals in recognizing Shippen’s life, was to honor him in death as well. He died alone at a nursing home in Newark in 1968, and was buried in an unmarked grave in Linden.

“All they had was a number 71 in a slab of concrete that was his marker,” Thurman Simmons said.

“We put a very nice headstone on with the information, the first American, first African American, and the dates on there,” Ruby Simmons said.

Shippen was issued a PGA card in 2009, a prized essential for any pro golfer.

“I don’t feel like I did anything important other than correct a little bit of history in America that most people don’t even know about,” Thurman Simmons said. “I brought attention to it, and it got out there, yeah, and it ran by itself because it was the truth.”

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.

Police warning parents after martini found in student’s lunchbox: “That is NOT Apple Juice”

CNN Newsource on March 1, 2026

By Dan Raby

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    SOUTH FULTON, Georgia (WUPA) — Police in metro Atlanta are telling parents to double-check what they pack for their children after a very adult beverage was found in a student’s lunchbox.

The South Fulton Police Department shared a photo of a Cutwater Lemon Drop Martini that a child had accidentally brought to school on Wednesday.

In the picture, the canned cocktail was in the lunchbox next to a Lunchable and a packet of Doritos.

“Before you send them babies off to school… CHECK. THE. LUNCHBOX,” the police department wrote. “Because why are we getting reports of juice boxes sitting next to… Cutwater margaritas??”

“That is NOT Capri Sun. That is NOT Apple Juice. That is a whole ‘Parent had a long night’ starter pack,” the department joked.

According to Cutwater’s website, its 12-ounce canned lemon drop martini is made with real vodka and is 11% alcohol by volume.

The Facebook post quickly went viral with hundreds of commenters joining in.

“ABV is Apple Juice By Volume,” one commenter wrote.

“This is giving the child packed their own lunch,” another wrote.

While the police department acknowledged that mornings getting ready for school can be hectic, it asked parents to make sure to check their kid’s lunchbox before school resource officers spot something wrong.

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Cash box with $1,000 stolen from Girl Scouts selling cookies

CNN Newsource on March 1, 2026

By Neal Riley

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    WEST LEBANON, New Hampshire (WBZ) — Police say they have identified a suspect after someone stole a cash box containing about $1,000 from Girl Scouts who were selling cookies outside a New Hampshire Walmart.

It happened on Wednesday at about 1:50 p.m. outside the store in West Lebanon.

“The Girl Scout and her mother were about to close up the booth when a man came up and then ran off with their cash box,” the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains said in a statement. “Thankfully, both were unharmed during the incident.”

The troop was selling cookies to raise money “for a celebratory trip in their final year as Girl Scouts,” the organization said.

Police described the thief as a White man wearing a white sweatshirt, blue jeans, black hat and black mask. After grabbing the metal box, he ran into the woods behind the shopping plaza.

With the help of a K-9 team, police followed the suspected thief’s trail to the parking lot behind a New Hampshire state liquor store. Surveillance video from the store showed him running across the parking lot and getting into a white Jeep Grand Cherokee.

While the cash box was later found in the woods, there was no money inside. The Girl Scouts are hoping to raise money from the public to make up for the cash that was taken.

Police said tips from the public helped investigators identify a suspect who lives in Vermont. The police chief said he is currently in jail there, and police are in the process of obtaining an arrest warrant.

Lebanon is in western New Hampshire, along the border with Vermont.

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Six planets to align in “planetary parade” above California. Here’s how to see it.

CNN Newsource on February 28, 2026

By Zoe Mintz

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    CALIFORNIA (KPIX) — A rare celestial event will be taking place in the sky above California on Saturday night, as six planets are expected to be visible in what is being called a “planetary parade.”

Look towards the western horizon 30-60 minutes after sunset. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be lined up along an arc, visible to the naked eye creating a literal parade of planets.

The alignment only occurs every few years, with the next one not until 2028.

Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are frequently seen in the night sky, but the addition of Venus and Mercury make this planet lineup particularly noteworthy.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, there will be some cloud coverage Saturday evening, but it should be in the high levels of the atmosphere so hopefully the horizon remains clear. In Los Angeles and San Diego, the forecast is expected to be clear.

Meanwhile, the planetary parade may not be visible in the northern part of the state, with cloudy conditions expected Saturday night in Sacramento, and possible showers and thunderstorms in Eureka and Redding.

People with telescopes and binoculars will also be able to see Uranus and Neptune as well.

For amateur astronomers, this also would be a fun time to test out your telescope skills by checking out Jupiter’s many moons or Saturn’s rings.

Please note that if your view is obscured by buildings, trees or hills, you won’t see the parade because it will appear very low on the horizon.

The nontechnical term is Parade of Planets, but the technical term is planetary alignment. Basically, it’s just the name for what happens when the planets and sun line up in the sky, these happen during events called oppositions and conjunctions.

Opposition is the term for when a planet is directly opposite the Earth from the Sun. Meanwhile, conjunction is when they are aligned with each other and is when we get the best views of the planets.

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Santa Clara County resident with measles dined at Burlingame restaurant, health authorities say

CNN Newsource on February 28, 2026

By Carlos E. Castañeda

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    SANTA CLARA, California (KPIX) — A Santa Clara County resident with measles may have exposed others while dining at a restaurant in Burlingame earlier this week, health officials said on Friday.

San Mateo County Health and Santa Clara County Public Health each issued public notices about a confirmed case of measles in a Santa Clara County resident who visited a Panda Express restaurant on Burlingame Avenue just north of El Camino Real on Monday and Tuesday. The case involves an adult who recently returned from international travel and who was vaccinated; the patient was currently isolating at home, the notices stated.

People who were at the restaurant between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on those days may be at risk of developing measles, especially if unvaccinated, pregnant or immunocompromised, according to the notice. Anyone at the location during those times and who develops symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, and a rash across the body was urged to stay home and call a health care provider immediately.

People who have been symptom-free for more than 21 days after being exposed are no longer at risk for developing measles, health officials said.

A Santa Clara County Public Health spokesperson told CBS News Bay Area that about 3% of those vaccinated can still get measles if they are exposed to the virus.

“Fully vaccinated people who get measles are more likely to have a milder illness and are less likely to spread the disease to other people, including people who can’t get vaccinated because they are too young or have weakened immune systems,” the spokesperson said. “The majority of measles cases occur in unvaccinated people, which is why measles vaccination is still the best protection against the disease.”

Santa Clara County health officials said it was the county’s first confirmed measles case since May 2025 and the 22nd case in California in 2026. Before that, the last confirmed measles case in a Santa Clara County resident was in 2019. San Mateo health officials said there have been two confirmed cases of measles in San Mateo County in 2026, with one case reported in 2025.

Last year, the U.S. recorded over 2,200 measles cases, the most in three decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. It is one of the most contagious infectious diseases, and while most people’s symptoms improve, about one in five unvaccinated people who get measles will be hospitalized, with some cases resulting in severe lung and brain infections that can lead to cognitive issues, deafness or death, the CDC says.

Health experts say the measles vaccine, normally given as part of the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, is safe and effective, and the increase in cases is due to lower vaccination rates.

“Fortunately, our region has strong community immunity, because of our very high rates of vaccination or from childhood exposure decades ago,” said Santa Clara County public health director Dr. Sarah Rudman in a prepared statement. “Two shots of MMR or MMRV vaccine are the best protection against measles and can stop a measles outbreak in its tracks.”

Earlier this year, California and other Western states announced they would reject new CDC guidelines on childhood vaccinations. Both San Mateo and Santa Clara counties continue to follow the existing state vaccination guidelines, and those recommended vaccines continue to be covered by health insurance in California.

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Dan Serafini sentenced to life without parole for Lake Tahoe shootings of in-laws

CNN Newsource on February 28, 2026

By Richard Ramos, Conor McGill

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    AUBURN, California (KOVR) — A California judge on Friday sentenced former Major League Baseball pitcher Daniel Serafini to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 killing of his father-in-law, Robert Gary Spohr, and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood.

Serafini appeared in person in a packed courtroom at the Historic Auburn Courthouse, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit. Family members of the victims, friends, community members and several jurors who convicted him filled the gallery.

The sentencing comes one week after a judge denied Serafini’s request for a new trial, in which he claimed he received ineffective assistance of counsel. His attorney told the court at the start of Friday’s hearing that they plan to appeal. Under California law, an appeal can be filed within 60 days of sentencing.

“Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice to something that can never be made right,” Adrienne Spohr, a daughter of the couple, told media members outside the courthouse following the sentencing.

Last year, a Placer County jury found Serafini guilty of murdering Spohr and attempting to murder Wood. Prosecutors said that on June 5, 2021, Serafini broke into his in-laws’ Lake Tahoe-area home and waited inside for hours until the couple returned from a boating trip with their grandsons and their other daughter, Erin Spohr, who is Serafini’s wife

Authorities said Serafini then shot both victims, killing Robert Spohr and leaving Wood with serious injuries. Wood was shot twice in the head and left there to die. She survived but was left with life-changing injuries. Wood took her own life in 2023.

Investigators previously described Spohr’s killing as an execution-style murder. While addressing the press, Adrienne Spohr detailed how her mother survived the shooting that day and accused her sister, Erin, of helping Serafini fight against justice.

“What’s important to remember is that my mom fought with everything she could to get out of the house that night, and she did not let Dan Serafini win,” she said. “My 69-year-old mom escaped a murder scene, got herself out of the house, and changed her will to remove Erin Spohr and Dan Serafini.”

Serafini was arrested in late 2023 following a two-year investigation. Authorities also arrested 33-year-old Samantha Scott, described in court records as Serafini’s nanny-turned-lover, in connection with the attack. Prosecutors said Scott drove Serafini to his in-laws’ home the day of the shooting. Scott has since pleaded guilty to being an accessory.

Before the sentence was handed down, the court heard multiple victim impact statements.

One friend of Spohr and Wood described fishing trips with Spohr and said the loss has left a lasting void. As he read his statement, he looked directly at Serafini, who turned toward him at several points.

Another friend told the court that the couple, who had been married for 50 years, did everything they could for their daughters and grandchildren. A third friend said she fell to her knees in disbelief when she learned what had happened and described the crime as a tragedy that showed no remorse.

Adrienne Spohr told the court she has suffered from PTSD, anxiety and depression since the shooting. She said she had to leave her job and sought a concealed carry permit out of fear. She also told the court she was shocked to learn how much her parents had given to Serafini over the years. She asked that the court remember her parents as adventurous and happy people.

Adrienne Spohr has publicly advocated for justice for her parents since the shootings, previously calling the past four years “just hell” and crediting investigators and prosecutors for never giving up on the case.

“Dan Serafini was finally held accountable for what he did to my parents, and he’ll spend the rest of his life behind bars,” Adrienne Spohr said outside the courthouse. “Erin Spohr chose not to show up today, once again choosing to avoid responsibility for supporting her husband and resisting justice for my parents.”

Serafini’s attorney read a statement from Erin Spohr, who said Serafini’s character has been “horribly mischaracterized.” Erin Spohr testified during the trial that she and Serafini had an open marriage and that she still trusts him. The defense also displayed a photograph from a family trip to Africa that included Serafini, his wife, Robert Spohr and Wood, and said they intend to litigate restitution. The attorney described the justice system as broken.

In delivering the sentence, the judge said the court found Serafini had received due process. A status conference is scheduled for March 16 to address restitution.

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3 dozen swords, 50 arrowheads dating back 4,000 years seized in Philadelphia

CNN Newsource on February 28, 2026

By Tom Dougherty

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Three dozen swords and 50 arrowheads dating back nearly 4,000 years to the Bronze Age were seized in Philadelphia by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection earlier this month.

CBP officers confiscated 36 copper-alloy short swords and 50 copper-alloy arrowheads on Feb. 18 at the Port of Philadelphia, the federal law enforcement agency announced Friday.

The federal law enforcement agency said the shipment arrived in Philadelphia from the United Arab Emirates on Oct. 16 and was destined for Jacksonville, Florida. They said officers X-rayed the shipment, which detected sword-like objects. Officers then opened the shipment and found the swords and arrowheads, according to CBP.

With the help of an archaeologist from a Philadelphia university, the short swords and arrowheads were authenticated as antiquities dating back to 1600-1000 BCE from the southwestern Caspian Sea near the Talish Mountains region of Iran, CBP said.

CBP said the items likely were obtained from illicit excavations of burial sites. They said the swords and arrowheads will be safeguarded until a disposition takes place.

“Customs and Border Protection officers strive to rescue cultural artifacts from the grips of illicit international traders who plunder and exploit another nation’s heritage for profit,” Elliot Ortiz, the acting area port director in Philadelphia for CBP, said in a press release. “The deceptive practices used to smuggle these treasures into the United States not only violate our import laws but also undermine efforts to preserve and protect the integrity of cultural history.”

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.

Body camera video shows Massachusetts police officer save 78-year-old man from burning truck

CNN Newsource on February 28, 2026

By Logan Hall, Samantha Chaney

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    EASTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Police body camera video shows an Easton, Massachusetts officer rescuing a 78-year-old Raynham man from a burning car on Friday morning.

A Mack dump truck was experiencing problems on the side of Turnpike Street just after 2 a.m. when a Ford pickup truck struck the back of it, according to police.

Vehicles catch fire after crash

The pickup truck then became stuck under the dump truck, trapping the driver, Francis Leverone, inside. A Toyota Camry then hit the back of the pickup truck and caught fire, police said.

Easton Police Officer Dean Soucie arrived at the crash and saw that the two vehicles were on fire. Video shows Soucie rushing over before breaking the driver’s side window and then, with the help of the two witnesses, freeing Leverone from the pickup truck. Soucie said he was confused but conscious.

Easton crash

“As I reached inside the vehicle, one of the passersby, he actually jumped into the cab of the truck, and he helped me free the individual,” Soucie said.

They then carried the driver to safety.

Leverone was taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to a Boston hospital. He received serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

No one else was injured in the crash.

Wife thanks rescuers

Dee Leverone told WBZ her husband is doing OK. “I’m just thankful for the people that got him out,” she said. “Very thankful.”

After watching the police body-cam video on the news she said, “I was shocked, I was like ‘Oh my God!’ I just couldn’t believe it. His truck is like melted.”

She says she realized that something was wrong last night when her husband never made it home from work.

“I kept trying to call him and call him and I finally got ahold of him at like 4:30 a.m. and he was at [Good Samaritan Hospital] and he told me he’s gotten in an accident,” Dee said.

She says he’s recovering at the Boston Medical Center and being treated for a dislocated hip.

“He’s a trooper,” Dee said. “He’s a strong man and you know he’s 78 but you know he’s a toughie. He definitely is a toughie.”

“They jumped into action”

Soucie commended the help of the two witnesses and said that before he arrived at the crash, they had attempted to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher and removed a gasoline tank from the pickup truck before it could ignite.

“They jumped into action like it was nothing,” Soucie said. “Those two individuals were absolutely awesome.”

Easton Police Chief Keith Boone said that he is “extremely proud” of Soucie and the witnesses.

“He saved a life last night,” Chief Boone said. “He is an exemplary police officer and this is just one example. I think he’s a hero.”

Turnpike Street was closed for several hours following the crash. Easton Police are investigating.

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.

March in Asheville encourages residents to vote ahead of primary election deadlines

CNN Newsource on February 28, 2026

By Shelly Garzon

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — With early voting wrapping up for the 2026 primary election and the voter registration deadline quickly approaching, community members in Asheville are rallying around one message: Participation matters.

Groups like Asheville Fights Back Network are working to energize voters ahead of key deadlines.

“Think about yourself, but also think about your neighbor because we’re going to get forward together, we’re going to get forward with love,” Lola Lafey, an organizer with Asheville Fights Back Network, said.

Friday night, the group hosted a march from Asheville Middle School to the Wesley Grant Center with the goal of increasing voter turnout.

“There’s several different voting locations and whether you walk to the polls, you drive to the polls, you take the bus, get yourself to the polls,” Lafey said.

Polls will close at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, which is the last day for early voting and for residents to register to vote before primary Election Day.

Residents who participated in the march said they joined to feel a sense of community and collective power.

“It helps me feel more powerful as part of a block of people that is powerful, not personally powerful, but we can do something real together,” resident Melissa Hyman said.

Participants said they hope events like the march will inspire others to cast their ballots.

“Even if it’s very humble and small today, every step that we take and every time we sing together and get together and march together, it grows the movement,” Hyman said.

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Teenager jumps from fleeing vehicle during police chase; 3 arrested

CNN Newsource on February 28, 2026

By CBS 58 Newsroom

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    WEST ALLIS, Wisconsin (WDJT) — Earlier Friday, Feb. 27, West Allis police saw a stolen vehicle at the intersection of S. 92nd St. and W. National Ave.

Officers tried to stop the vehicle, but it fled east bound on W. National starting a chase.

A 15-year-old girl from West Allis jumped from the vehicle while it was speeding in the area of S. 84th and W. National. She was taken into custody.

The vehicle continued to speed east bound and crashed into a parked car around 58th and W. National, ending the chase.

The driver, a 17-year-old man from Waukesha and a back seat passenger, 18-year-old man from Milwaukee, were both taken into custody.

A fourth occupant ran from the scene and has not been located.

The investigation is ongoing.

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