Author: CNN Newsource

By Caitlyn Scott

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    BETHEL PARK, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — Police have temporarily “hired” an “egg-cellent” companion to its team, following what they say was a “hilarious series of events and a short foot pursuit” on Sunday.

Bethel Park police said they were called to the area of Drake Road, where a chicken was found roaming the center lane, blocking traffic and being “indecisive as to whether or not to cross the road.”

“After a hilarious series of events and a short foot pursuit, the chicken was safely detained and transported back to the station. After a brief interrogation, she claimed that she was NOT blocking traffic … but rather directing it,” the department said in a post.

Officials said “Lt. McQuail” is now “supervising” the department’s dispatch center for the time being until she is returned to her original home.

“If you are missing what Google has identified as a Plymouth Rock variety chicken, please give us a call at 412-833-2000. She will be the one answering the phone,” the department 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 Ricardo Tovar

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    SANTA CRUZ, California (KSBW) — Tyler Mitic is biking the entire California coastline, from the northernmost part of the state to the border with Mexico, to raise money for the mental health nonprofit Bring Change to Mind.

Along the way, Mitic is inviting people to join him on his tandem bicycle, aiming to spread kindness, hear their stories, and raise awareness about mental health issues.

“Had a really hard year of mental health. And so, when I struggle, one of the things that’s always brought me back is talking to the people around me. Nature,” Mitic said.

Mitic arrived in Santa Cruz today and will soon head toward Monterey County. He is asking for donations to Bring Change to Mind, which was co-founded by actress and activist Glenn Close. Mitic is also looking for more passengers to join him on his journey.

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 Christina Watkins

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    SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) — Anaya Browne, a 7-year-old student from Wilson Elementary School in Sanford, has been accepted into Mensa, the world’s largest high-IQ society, after scoring higher than 99.9% of students her age on a standardized intelligence test.

Ever since Anaya was a baby, her parents said they knew she carried a very special light.

“This little person you have like dreams and thoughts for who they’re gonna be and like to see them turn out so good is really just this huge blessing, right,” said Tiffany Browne, Anaya’s mother.

Anaya shared her thoughts about the testing process.

“They told me I was going to do. Yeah, I was kind of scared. Or like, what if we don’t do good? And then I ended up doing amazing,” she said.

Her father, Kevis Browne, described his reaction to the results.

“We got the results, and at first we were like, is this a good thing? Or like, what’s going on? And then come to find out, she had scored very highly on the test, testing higher than 99.9% of students in the country at her age group,” he said.

Mensa is open only to individuals who score in the top 2% of a standardized intelligence test. Once accepted, members gain access to resources, networking opportunities, and free educational tools for gifted learners.

Anaya’s first-grade teacher, Patria Slaughter, expressed her pride in her former student.

“She’s got two great parents to help guide her. Lots of support. Lots of people that love her. So, I’m so grateful that I got to be a part of her life and I wish her the best,” Slaughter said.

Anaya also shared an encouraging message for other young students.

“You got this, you can do this!” 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 Joshua Davis, Rebecca Smith

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    SURRY COUNTY, N.C. (WXII) — The man accused of shooting two Carroll County deputies, killing one, has been arrested.

According to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Puckett, 55, was arrested on Skyview Lane in Mount Airy late Sunday night by Surry County law enforcement. He had been wanted since Friday in connection with the killing of Deputy Logan Utt and the shooting of another deputy. The Carroll County Sheriff says the second deputy who was shot is at home in good condition.

On Friday, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office said deputies received a call around 9:30 p.m. to conduct a welfare check at a home on Fancy Gap Highway.

When they arrived, two deputies made contact with the suspect, identified as Puckett. Authorities said he opened fire, shooting both deputies and killing Utt. Investigators say other people were in the home at the time. None of the other people inside were injured.

Puckett then fled the scene. Agencies across the Piedmont Triad were alerted and assisted in the search, including the Mount Airy Police Department and the sheriff’s offices in Surry and Rockingham counties.

On Sunday, the search area narrowed down to Greenhill Road in Mount Airy. Deputies say crews used aerial surveillance, finding the suspect outside a property on Skyview Lane. Deputies believe Puckett did not have a connection to the home.

Law enforcement officers described Puckett’s condition as ‘good enough’, saying he responded to verbal commands. He is in custody in Surry County, awaiting extradition back to Carroll County. The Carroll County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office will handle prosecution.

Sheriff Kemp told WXII that he’s grateful for the help his department received from surrounding law enforcement partners and the community. He said his attention is now focused on being there for his officers and the family of fallen deputy Logan Utt. Hundreds of law enforcement officers from federal, state, and local agencies assisted in the search.

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 Beth Carlson

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — The Omaha community rallied Sunday to support renowned tattoo artist Katie Martin, who was left paralyzed from the collarbone down after a rare spinal infection.

Several businesses in Little Bohemia organized the fundraiser to aid Martin on her long road to recovery. Friends of Martin said she has made a permanent mark on Omaha through her art, and now they are working to make an impact on her life after her illness took away her ability to create tattoos and art.

“I couldn’t imagine doing this without my family, my community,” Martin said. “People wearing my T-shirts and getting my tattoos in the past and everything, like, the support system has just, like, kept me thriving and alive.”

While enjoying music or buying her art, attendees supported Martin as her friends organized the event following the sudden onset of her illness.

“More of a rare spinal infection kind of happened, and they’re still not sure exactly how this came about, but it was like an overnight thing,” Martin said.

In the four months since her diagnosis and as she has begun rehabilitation, Martin said her community has been instrumental in her progress.

“I feel good, you know, taking my wins as they come. So I can move my fingers now. I just started wiggling my toes, which is an astronomical achievement at this point. I can wiggle my knees a little bit. So I’m on a mission to walk again and get through this and kind of see why all this happened,” Martin said.

Though her future remains uncertain, Martin said her love for art and the people she shares it with is unwavering.

“That’s all I kind of expect from my life going forward is as long as I’m doing art, I’m going to be happy, and we’ll feel excited about all of it,” Martin 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 Carrie Hodgin

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    North Carolina (WXII) — It’s a high school senior prank that one North Carolina principal will never forget.

Northwest Guilford High School Principal Dr. Brian Muller got an unusual wake-up call.

“I was surprised,” said Northwest Guilford High School Principal Dr. Brian Muller.

Ring doorbell camera captured seniors from Northwest Guilford High School lining up to get into the principal’s house for a sleepover. Muller woke up to the sound of Pomp and Circumstance before another song played. When he opened the door, he got a shock as students laughed at seeing his shocked reaction. He said in the video, “Whose idea was this?” The day of the prank marked the last day the seniors would be on the school’s campus before graduation.

“It was wholesome fun,” Muller said. “And I appreciate it. I took it as an honor they included me on the senior prank in such a harmless way.”

It was certainly one wake-up call that Dr. Muller will never forget, as these seniors might go down in history as prank war champions.

“I think it’s fun,” he said. “It’s fun for students. It’s creating memories and this is the best prank I’ve seen over the years.”

“I think they should bring food next time,” he added. “I was disappointed there were no pancakes ready to go– so I told the class of 2027 they need to bring pancakes.”

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 Rachel Ripp

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    OLATHE, Kansas (KMBC) — A paint job in Olathe meant to last is certainly leaving a mark. Thirty gallons of paint, a team of six painters, six to eight ladders and attention to detail.

“We’re putting caulking in every nail hole,” said Lorenzo Lopez, project manager for Stone Painting. “This is the most important part of the job, I would say.”

Leo Stone, owner of Stone Painting in Overland Park, decided to pay it forward.

“She was a referral and had some chimney damage that we had to work on the west side of her house,” Stone said.

Leo met Virginia last fall.

“Just like when I talk to my grandma, she’s just full of wisdom and, yeah, just reminded me a lot of my grandma,” Stone said. “She mentioned she wanted to paint her house in the spring, but didn’t have a lot of money … We were able to stack away some cash to help her out, so it feels, I mean, it feels better than probably the biggest paycheck I’ve gotten this year.”

Then he called her with the good news.

“I said, I’m going to hang up now, because I’m going to cry. So then I hung up, and then I sat there and cried for several minutes because I was just so shocked,” said Virginia Kasper, the woman whose home was painted for free.

Leo said she called him back a few days later.

“I said, I’m so sorry. I had to regroup myself, and I said, you know, it’s so shocking. Why would you want to do that? He said, ‘Because I want to.’ I’ve thought about it since January, and I said, ‘Well, OK then, I think,'” Kasper said. “It’s been one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had.”

Virginia said she was completely caught off guard by the phone call.

“We forget the only thing that we’re ever going to take with us when we leave this earth is what we gave away,” Kasper said.

“It’s easy to get lost in profit and loss and dollars and cents, but doing something like this to kind of pay it forward, I think, is so important in life,” Stone said.

This fresh new layer of paint is marking hearts for the better.

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By Zoie Henry

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    EAST TROY, Wisconsin (WISN) — Mary Schroeder of East Troy was diagnosed with leukemia at 7 years old in 2023, spending 800 days in and out of the hospital for treatment.

“She couldn’t snuggle you. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t walk. She had to be carried. She couldn’t go to dance. She was complaining about going to school,” her mother, Jennifer Schroeder, said, describing the challenges Mary faced during her treatment.

Despite the hardships, Mary found ways to bring joy to others, often dressing in sparkly clothes to lift spirits at the hospital. Her positivity caught the attention of friends, who nominated her for a room makeover through the nonprofit Special Spaces.

Special Spaces transforms bedrooms for children battling cancer, providing them with a safe and joyful retreat at no cost to their families. Cindy Thota, a director with the organization, explained the importance of their mission.

“It’s happy. They’re in such a tough place, and they’re going through something that you just don’t want any family to have to go to. And if we can come and make her happy and give her a safe, clean, whatever she wants bedroom to come home to, because everything at the hospital is rough and tough. And if we can come here and make it fun and loving and joyful, it’s 100% what we want to do,” Thota said.

Thota, who helps design between four and six rooms a year, said the mission is personal for her.

“My husband is a physician, so he has to tell people their kids have cancer, and then I can go in and do something about it,” she said.

After meeting with the Schroeder family multiple times, Thota and her team sent them to a hotel and transformed Mary’s room in just 24 hours.

“For Mary’s room, I knew that it needed sparkle. That needed jimmies. I knew that it needed as many sequins as I could possibly fit in there, and it needed to be squishy and comfortable and above all, happy. Because that’s Mary,” Thota said.

Two years later, Mary, now 10, still loves her glittering room. She rang the bell signifying the end of her treatment in January and continues to cherish her special space.

“Like when I opened the room, like, I saw it. If you could take a picture of it, some people might say it’s AI because it’s just so fun,” Mary said.

She described her favorite features, including her queen-size bed, dresser, stuffed animals, and an ice cream chair.

“I’m glad. I’m blessed that you can have this room,” Mary said.

This week, WISN 12 is raising funds for Special Spaces Wisconsin as part of its Day of Giving initiative. Donations will be collected through a phone bank on Wednesday, June 3, from 3 to 7 p.m.

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 Riley Conlon

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    BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — A young bird at the Birmingham Zoo is eating, flying and socializing normally again after receiving a custom-made prosthetic beak designed by specialists at the UAB School of Dentistry.

Beauregard, a green aracari related to the toucan family, damaged his rhinotheca, or upper beak, when he was about 3 months old. The injury caused him to lose part of his upper mandible, raising concerns that he would struggle to eat.

“You can see the upper beak is fractured about midway down,” said Maxillofacial prosthodontist Dr. Michael Kase. “So they were very concerned that the bird wasn’t going to be able to function and keep itself with adequate nutrition.”

After trying several methods to help Beauregard adapt, animal health specialists at the Birmingham Zoo turned to UAB for help.

The team included Kase, dental prosthetist Chris Seidenfaden and oral surgeon Dr. Jay Ponto.

Using materials commonly used for dental impressions, the group created a mold of Beauregard’s beak and developed a model using a dental articulator, a device typically used to make dental prosthetics such as dentures and crowns. From that model, the team designed and produced a custom prosthetic beak specifically for the bird.

The prosthetic was carefully designed to match the size, weight and color of Beauregard’s natural beak so it would not interfere with his ability to fly or interact normally with other birds.

“He started functioning with it 15 minutes after we left, which really exceeded all of our expectations,” said another specialist.

Now nearly 11 months old, Beauregard has adjusted to the prosthetic and is once again behaving like a healthy young bird, according to zoo officials and the UAB dental team.

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 TJ Dysart

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Carlos Lemar Dixon, an independent write-in candidate for Wisconsin governor, has been stealing campaign signs from his opponents and sharing videos of his actions on Facebook, claiming he is making a political statement.

Dixon has targeted signs belonging to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Franchesca Hong, 19th District Rep. Ryan Clancy, and GOP candidate Tom Tiffany. He filmed himself Thursday in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood removing signs and later insisted on being interviewed by WISN 12 News outside a Milwaukee police station.

“If I do get arrested, I’ll get out, and I’ll try to find some more signs,” Dixon said. When asked if he was concerned about potential legal consequences, he replied, “Not concerned at all.”

Milwaukee police said they have not received any calls for service regarding Dixon’s Facebook videos.

In one of his posts, Dixon wrote, “Politicians should be grateful that all I want is yard signs and not their heads.”

When asked if the statement was a threat, Dixon responded, “Was it a threat? I am asking you the question, was it a threat?”

Dixon admitted he does not know how many signs he has taken, but claimed they are all at his home.

When asked what it would take for him to stop, he said, “We would need to destroy capitalism and Zionism.”

Despite his actions, Dixon acknowledged he does not believe he can win the governor’s race.

“Absolutely not,” he said when asked about his chances.

Franchesca Hong responded to the videos in a Facebook post, writing, “This sucks. Yard signs are freedom of speech. Plus, they’re expensive as heck!”

Her campaign said they have already ordered 1,000 more signs.

Clancy stated that neither his campaign nor Hong’s plan to press charges.

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.