Inmate captured after escaping jail transport in Fort Worth, sheriff’s office confirms


KTVT

By Briauna Brown, Steven Rosenbaum

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    TEXAS (KTVT) — An inmate is back in custody on Monday afternoon after escaping from deputies in Fort Worth.

A spokesperson with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said the inmate escaped while he was being transported by van from a court appearance in Downtown Fort Worth to the Green Bay Facility, a county jail near 35W and North Loop 820.

Sources identified the inmate as Carlos Enrique Rodriguez-Romero, who is charged with aggravated robbery and felony tampering with government records. He also has an ICE detainer.

The escape happened close to the jail, in an industrial area near a large USPS facility on Mark IV Parkway and Great Southwest Parkway.

The search involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff’s office, the Fort Worth Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspectors.

CBS News Texas Chopper captured video of Tarrant County deputies capturing the inmate and placing him into a TCSO SUV.

It was not immediately clear how he escaped from the van. CBS News Texas has reached out to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office for additional information.

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Mystery manhole leak creating an icy hazard for food wholesaler


WLNY

By Elle McLogan

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A flooded manhole has turned a loading dock into an ice rink in Queens.

“The water has nowhere to go, so it’s 24/7 of just constant flow,” Mike Ciuffo said.

Ciuffo, president of food wholesale company M&V Provisions, says the mystery leak has been gurgling for more than a month, posing added risk to staff, customers, and delivery drivers since the snowstorm and deep freeze.

“We’ve had a few people fall,” he said.

He says a tractor trailer full of eggs was unable to complete its delivery.

“He got stuck on the ice. He was here for about three hours before they finally towed him out,” co-owner Joe Vallario said.

“We need those eggs,” loading dock manager Albert Arana said.

It comes as a blow to the long-running Ridgewood family business, which delivers ingredients and kitchen supplies across the Tri-State Area.

“It’s thousands of bodegas, delis, restaurants,” Ciuffo said.

Staff tried using sandbags to dam up the manhole.

“It didn’t quite work as well as we hoped for, but we’re trying to do anything we can to stop the flow,” he said.

He says repeated 311 requests have gone nowhere.

“It’s been over a month now. We’re getting no response from the city at all. This morning, we had to chase away about half a dozen tractor trailers that couldn’t get in,” Vallario said. “We’re trying to supply the city with food, and it’s creating all sorts of problems.”

The Department of Environmental Protection told CBS News New York that it is actively investigating and that it remains unclear whether the issue is a water main break or other condition.

“No one’s reached out to us at all. No one,” Vallario said.

Management worries about the ripple effect for delis and their customers.

“The impact now is we cannot receive products. No delivery driver will take a chance to back in,” Ciuffo said.

“As long as it stays below freezing, it’s a problem, and there’s no signs of it warming up anytime soon,” Vallario said.

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Three children discovered in trunk of suspected Colorado drunk driver’s vehicle


KCNC

By Christa Swanson

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — Police in the Denver metro area made an alarming discovery during the recent arrest of a suspected drunk driver when they found three children in the trunk of the car.

Westminster police officers pulled over the vehicle after they say they witnessed the driver, Thomas Michael Raiola, behaving recklessly near City Center Drive and 93rd Avenue. The officers reported there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle. According to body camera footage released by the Westminster Police Department, Raiola denied drinking and initially agreed to do roadside maneuvers, but later changed his mind.

According to the police department, Raiola told officers, “My kids are in the trunk,” after the officers placed him in handcuffs.

“Sure enough, three kids were in the trunk. We’d like to point out it was also freezing temps outside during this stop. Luckily, the kids were unharmed,” the department said.

The officers also said they recovered several bottles of alcohol from the vehicle.

Raiola was arrested and booked into the Adams County Jail. He posted a $2,500 bond and is due back in court on March 16.

He is facing charges of DUI, reckless driving, failure to provide a valid insurance and three counts of child abuse. According to court records, Raiola received a deferred sentence for a 2020 child abuse charge in Adams County after completing a program.

Authorities said the officers contacted CPS, and the children were later released to family members.

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Police say college student in Colorado tried to hire someone for $500 to kill teammate over hair in shower


KCNC

By Jennifer McRae

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — A student at Fort Lewis College in southern Colorado allegedly tried to hire someone for $500 to kill his teammate over hair in the bathroom. Investigators said that Jackson Keller, a student at the college in Durango, was arrested late last week and booked into the La Plata County Jail.

Keller, 19, faces charges of criminal solicitation for first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon on college grounds.

According to the arrest affidavit from the Fort Lewis College Police Department, the investigation began on Jan. 28 when school officials called police regarding an alleged murder-for-hire plot that involved students.

One student told police that he knew both of the students involved, including Keller and the alleged victim, who both played on the college football team. The suspect and alleged victim lived in two separate rooms on campus connected by a shared bathroom.

The two had played on the football team and had a history of talking “trash” while playing a football video game, and Keller had challenged the alleged victim to a physical fight after the game, according to an arrest report.

The alleged victim told police that Keller had come into his room about a week before the alleged murder-for-hire plot was uncovered, upset with him for leaving hair in the shower. That apparently led to a confrontation between the two about coming into each other’s rooms, which could be accessed via the shared bathroom. According to the affidavit, the alleged victim said Keller challenged him to a fight in the hallway. The document states that Keller stayed in his room, and a witness told the alleged victim that Keller was holding a pair of scissors behind his back and was planning on stabbing the alleged victim if he came into Keller’s room.

The alleged victim also told police that Keller had a firearm in his room at one point, showing the weapon to him. The document states the alleged victim told police he later heard rumors that Keller took it to Colorado Springs during winter break and sold the gun for $150.

The student who knew both Keller and the alleged victim was interviewed by police. In the affidavit, he said Keller asked if he gave him $500 on CashApp, would he “put a hat on him,” referring to the alleged victim. The student told police he thought Keller was asking him to kill the alleged victim, saying he would pay him after he “got it done.” That student told police that he told Keller “no,” and that’s when Keller received a FaceTime call with three males from Colorado Springs.

According to the affidavit, the student observed Keller asking the males over the phone the same question about “putting a hat on” the alleged victim, and told police he saw the $500 CashApp banner for the exchange of money displayed on Keller’s phone. The student told police he saw the males handling firearms on FaceTime, both rifles and handguns. They also showed Keller an estimated time of arrival seven hours later from directions on their phone, and said they were “on their way.”

The student told police that he was worried for his safety and told the alleged victim what had happened. That’s when school officials learned about the alleged murder-for-hire plot and contacted police.

Police took Keller into custody the next afternoon, Jan. 29, in his room, where Fort Lewis College Police officers were accompanied by a Durango police officer and Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents. According to the affidavit, officers did not find a weapon during a search of Keller’s room, but did notice a pair of scissors on the countertop at the entrance to the room.

Before asking for an attorney, Keller told police about the incident with the alleged victim regarding hair in the bathroom. According to the affidavit, officers observed Keller “quickly moving through apps on his phone” while talking to his father on speaker phone in an interview room at the police station. Officers said that before the phone call, Keller had given investigators permission to look at his phone.

After asking for an attorney, Keller was placed under arrest. According to the affidavit, that’s when he told officers that he wanted to add more to his story and said the alleged victim was selling marijuana on campus and he had video evidence on his phone to show investigators. Keller also stated that he believed that the alleged victim and the other student were “conspiring against him.”

Keller was released from police custody that same day on a $50,000 surety bond.

Keller appeared in court on Monday afternoon, where a judge issued conditions for bond that included no possession of drugs or alcohol, no possession of weapons, and a mandatory protection order for the alleged victim and the other student who talked to police.

Keller is scheduled to appear in court for an advisement of charges on Feb. 23.

Multiple messages were left with Keller’s attorney seeking comment for CBS News Colorado.

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Boy who received heart transplant at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia dreams of becoming a chef


KYW

By Stephanie Stahl, Casey Kuhn

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — For a little boy who has a new heart after spending more than a year at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, American Heart Month, celebrated in February, has special meaning.

Kolin was born at CHOP with a heart defect and became a beloved patient at the cardiac center. Now he’s only there for brief visits after a life-saving transplant.

Kolin spent 530 days at CHOP being treated for complicated congenital heart defects. Nettle, a facility dog, was an important distraction and comfort for Kolin and his family during that time.

Kolin’s mom, Joy Hummer, said he faced a variety of difficult complications, and ultimately, he needed a heart transplant.

“There was a period of time that he wasn’t even eligible for a heart transplant because he was so sick,” Joy Hummer said. “And those were some of the hardest days of my life.”

Kolin ended up with a mechanical heart waiting for a transplant and was kept busy at the hospital until the new heart was found in October.

Three months after the transplant, his doctors are thrilled to see how well Kolin is doing.

“It’s just an incredibly heartwarming and validating thing to see,” Dr. Matthew O’Connor at CHOP said. “We were very optimistic for lots of good news for him in the future.”

After spending 18 months at the hospital, Kolin’s mom says visiting CHOP now is like being at her home away from home.

“You know, child life, the nurses, the staff, just become part of your family,” she said.

When Kolin was finally ready to leave the cardiac center, they had a parade to send him off.

Now adjusting to life with his new heart, Kolin is focused on school and his passion, cooking. He wants to be a chef when he grows up.

Kolin takes anti-rejection drugs to live with his new heart, and his mom says she’s eternally grateful to the donor family.

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Legacy of “Godmother of Coconut Grove” defined by spirit of inclusion


WFOR

By Najahe Sherman

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    COCONUT GROVE, Florida (WFOR) — In honor of Black History Month, we’re highlighting Coconut Grove’s deep Bahamian roots through the life of a woman many call the Godmother of Coconut Grove, Thelma Gibson.

“I was born right here in Coconut Grove on December 17, 1926. So I just turned 99-years-old” Gibson said.

Ms. Thelma Gibson grew up on Charles Avenue before leaving home at just 17-years-old to attend nursing school. During World War II, a nationwide nursing shortage opened doors for women of color but not without resistance.

“The lady looked at me. She said, ‘You’re Thelma Anderson?’ I said, ‘In the flesh.’ And she said, ‘Anderson, I don’t think you can work in the operating room.'”

She was denied the job because of her race, but she refused to quit continuing to apply, eventually returning to Jackson Hospital, and later opening a clinic in Goulds that welcomed patients of color from across South Florida.

Her life of service extended beyond medicine. Her husband, Theodore Gibson, was a priest, civil rights leader, and tireless advocate for Coconut Grove’s Black community.

“Was it love at first sight?” asked CBS Miami.

“No, no, oh no indeed. Because he was older. Mamma said, ‘If he’s interested in you, you ought to know him and be interested in him.’ So, that’s how I ended up getting married to him. Once we got married, he just got more involved and of course I got more involved and when he died, I decided to start the Theodore Gibson Memorial Fund,” Gibson said.

Gibson retired from nursing in 1980, but her service never stopped. In 1984, she founded the Miami-Dade Women’s Chamber of Commerce intentionally inclusive from the start.

“We’re going to have a women’s chamber of commerce, and it’s not going to be just Black women. It’s going to be Black and White and Hispanic that’s how we started the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Dade County.” said Gibson.

That spirit of inclusion still defines her legacy.

“She welcomed all of us from different islands, from different countries, from different looks. It didn’t matter what color you were or where you were from. She embraced you,” said Merline Barton, President and Co-founder of the Thelma Gibson Health Initiative.

“This is a part of my life story. I got up this morning and said I have to get dressed because someone is coming to interview me. I didn’t know if I would live long enough to have this interview. And I thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.” said Gibson.

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.

Iguana pizza is now a thing in South Florida, thanks to a cold snap that sent iguanas falling from trees


WFOR

By Abby Dodge, Sergio Candido

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — Cold-stunned iguanas falling from trees during South Florida’s recent cold snap ended up as an unexpected menu item: iguana pizza.

Local trapper Ryan Izquierdo kept a few of the cold-stunned reptiles and turned them into what he calls the “Florida Man Pizza,” topped with freshly harvested iguana meat thanks to his friends at North Palm Beach pizza restaurant Bucks Coal Fired.

“We were able to do good work and remove the iguanas and educate people, and it was just a great time,” Izquierdo said. “The last 48 hours have been one to look back on forever for sure.”

The cold snap triggered a well-known phenomenon in South Florida, with iguanas dropping from trees as temperatures plunged. Residents spent Sunday and Monday collecting them from yards and parks, and some handed them over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) during its brief collection period.

While the iguanas provided unexpected entertainment, and even a meal, tourists escaping frigid northern temperatures aren’t getting the warm beach days they hoped for.

The unusually cold weather kept many visitors out of the water on Hollywood Beach this week.

“Well, I brought my swimsuit with me, but never got it out of the suitcase,” said Al Beckman, who is visiting from out of state.

Instead, he and other tourists have turned to nearby bars and restaurants.

“We just have to get up and walk around, maybe get a beverage or two,” he said.”

Travelers from Michigan said leaving their zero-degree temperatures only to find Floridians bundled up was a surprise.

“The puffy coat, the gloves, the iguana falling from trees, it’s crazy,” Jody Dougherty said.

Despite the cold, some visitors had advice for locals waiting for warmer days.

“I think they should come to Michigan and hang out in the real winter and then appreciate Florida weather,” Dougherty said.

While beachgoers can wait out the cold, South Florida farmers said the impact has been far more serious.

Kern Carpenter Farms in Homestead lost around 20% of its tomato crop during the Arctic blast. Now, frost is the next concern.

“The wind died and it got cold really fast,” said farmer Kern Carpenter. “We did the best we could, but they still got burnt.”

Farmers said losses to tomatoes, green beans and other local crops could lead to higher grocery store prices in the coming weeks.

For anyone considering trapping iguanas now, the FWC’s official collection period has ended, leaving residents responsible for handling them humanely, or cooking them on their own.

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California officials approve plan to shoot mule deer on Catalina Island to restore native habitat


KCBS

By Julie Sharp

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Catalina Island conservationists are moving forward with an extensive plan to preserve the island’s native habitat after the state recently approved the lethal shooting of the invasive mule deer on the island.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife approved the Catalina Island Conservancy’s restoration management permit in late January.

“The permit clears the way for restoration work the island has needed for decades, and it allows us to take action at a transformative scale,” Lauren Dennhardt, senior director of conservation for the Catalina Island Conservancy, said in a news release.

Mule deer were introduced to the island in the early 1920s as a game species for hunting by the state. Island conservationists say the deer, which fluctuate in numbers between 500 and 1,800, have no natural predators and are destroying native vegetation found only on the island. They also say deer on the island are suffering from thirst and starvation, as they are much smaller than those living on the mainland.

The conservancy’s plan to shoot the deer from the air, using helicopters, was shut down in 2024 after residents voiced concerns of bullets raining down and rotting deer carcasses that would be left behind.

Alternative plans to control the island’s mule deer population included fencing them in, relocating the deer, introducing predators and sterilization.

After weighing the pros and cons of each method, the state chose to move forward with a multi-year lethal deer removal plan, with ground-based specialists using rifles “in controlled operations under strict safety protocols.”

Harvested meat will be provided to the California Condor Recovery Program to support the endangered birds, and a final locals-only, recreational hunting season will occur in fall 2026.

The state’s permit approval supports Operation Protect Catalina Island, the conservancy’s multi-decade island restoration plan that combines conservation initiatives, habitat restoration and wildfire prevention under one coordinated effort.

“The evidence of the severity of the threat the deer pose is overwhelming, and all other alternatives have been exhausted,” said Scott Morrison, director of conservation and science for The Nature Conservancy in California.

“Catalina Island can have either a functional, biodiverse and resilient ecosystem or it can have deer. It cannot have both.”

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University of Denver professor wins Grammy for best instrumental composition


KCNC

By Austen Erblat

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — A music professor at the University of Denver won a Grammy Award on Sunday for best instrumental composition.

Remy Le Boeuf earned the prestigious award for his 2025 album, “First Snow,” recorded with the Nordkraft Big Band, a Danish jazz big band, and vocalist Danielle Wertz.

He described the album as blending genres of jazz, folk, and classical music. In his acceptance speech, he highlighted the collaborative efforts between the different styles, but also between musicians of different cultures and nationalities.

“Bridges between the United States and Denmark, where the Nordkraft Big Band is based — Peter Lund Paulsen and Danielle Wertz, by the way, my collaborators — bridges between people, from myself, my listeners, and you all,” he said in the speech. “Let’s keep building bridges. Thank you so much.”

A saxophone player, professor, and director of the jazz and commercial music program at DU, Le Boeuf enjoyed four Grammy nominations before Sunday’s win. His identical twin brother, pianist Pascal Le Boeuf, won a Grammy in the same category last year for his album “Strands.”

“Pascal, we’re even now. I love you,” he joked in his speech.

Remy Le Boeuf has collaborated with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Linda Oh, HAIM, and others, including his brother, in the Le Boeuf Brothers project.

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Michigan family speaks out one month after 75-year-old man attacked by DoorDash driver


WWJ

By Heath Kalb

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    Detroit (WWJ) — It has been over a month since 75-year-old Lloyd Poole was found unconscious in the roadway in front of his Wixom, Michigan, home after a DoorDash driver allegedly got out of his car and punched him before driving away.

“They were able to put back the part of his skull, but as of right now, he’s still not fully awake,” said Poole’s stepdaughter, Lindsey Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said that Poole is a veteran who loves to sail, travel, walk his dogs, and volunteer with the American Legion.

“He is starting to respond to voices and squeeze hands. He just started to do that over the last couple of days. But other than that, there hasn’t been much change since the whole incident happened,” Gonzalez said.

The incident back on Dec. 28, 2025, began when the delivery driver, 40-year-old Ryan Turner, allegedly attacked Poole after he told him not speed in his neighborhood. Turner was arraigned on one count of aggravated assault. As of last Wednesday, he is now back in jail with his bond revoked.

“We’re very happy that he is back behind bars, I mean, when the original charge happened, being that aggravated assault in the state of Michigan is just a misdemeanor, we were kind of shocked when we read up that he could maybe only do up to a year in jail,” said Gonzalez.

Turner will now be behind bars for at least the next few weeks until the next pretrial hearing on Feb. 18.

Poole’s family says they have been receiving an overwhelming amount of support through this difficult and uncertain time as they are praying he can make a full recovery.

“They believe he will eventually come out of this, but it’s going to be months, maybe even like years of therapy just to get back everything,” said Gonzalez.

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