Category: CNN Regional

By Lily O’Brien

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    WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — The former mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, Jose “Joe” Ceballos, turned himself in to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

His surrender came on Wednesday morning, following an order from immigration officials.

As he walked into an office and into ICE custody in Wichita, he said he doesn’t know when he’ll come back out.

“I’m obviously nervous,” said Ceballos. “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

In April, Ceballos pleaded guilty to misdemeanor election charges tied to voting as a non-citizen.

“What I was told by the ICE officers… is that he was arrested on an administrative warrant,” said immigration attorney Sarah Balderas. “They’re essentially saying that he’s removable from the United States for past conduct.”

Ceballos is a legal resident of the United States, but not a U.S. citizen.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, he started the citizenship process in February 2025. DHS also says Ceballos was convicted of battery in 1995.

Days after Ceballos was re-elected Mayor of Coldwater the following November, DHS released his voter registration forms, saying he illegally voted and committed a felony by claiming citizenship.

It says he committed another felony by lying on naturalization paperwork and saying he had never claimed U.S. citizenship.

Ceballos’ plea deal, though, knocked those charges down to misdemeanors.

“I’m disappointed,” said one of his attorneys, Jess Hoeme. “I thought our system was smarter and better than this.”

Hoeme says he believed the agreement resolved the criminal case and wouldn’t impact his dealings with immigration.

“He thought this was already taken care of via Kris Kobach. He even paid a $2,000 fine. Why is he having to be double-judged, double-punished?” questioned protester Lori Lawrence.

Over a dozen people gathered in the east Wichita office parking lot in support of Ceballos and against ICE action.

“They thought it was all over, and I myself felt like I was misled,” said Ceballos. “I’m sure the supportive people feel the same way.”

Those supportive people followed Ceballos as he made his way through the building’s doors to turn himself in to ICE shortly before 11:00 a.m. They chanted his name, exclaiming support.

They then trailed to a fence, where a handful of people stood behind, appearing to be federal officers. A confrontation of those officers ensued, with protesters shouting out “free Joe!” and “ICE out!” through the fence.

“ICE has soldiers back there in full battle gear with rifles, telling our protesters that they need to leave. What about free speech?” said Hoeme. “What kind of statement does that say about our government?”

Steps away, the property manager also told protesters to leave, as the building is private property.

“You can threaten us. That doesn’t mean we’re going to leave. We’re determined to be here,” said protester Janice Bradley. “We’re determined to show our support for the mayor who should not be in this position, who thought this was taken care of, and now he’s facing deportation.”

After legal scrutiny and applause from a full courthouse at Ceballos’ hearing, where the plea agreement was read, he now heads into an arena he, his wife, and his supporters feared for months.

“They can’t believe it’s happening to a guy like myself, trying to live the American dream… and it can be taken away from me,” said Ceballos.

Balderas says he will likely be held in the Wichita building before being moved to a larger detention facility.

“Very scary…You hear stories — whether they’re true or not — about people being detained and not getting their chance to hear in court, and that’s what we’re afraid of,” said Ceballos.

Ceballos has since been transferred to the Chase County Jail.

From here, Balderas says a bond hearing will be scheduled and adds there’s a hope the judge will agree with their claim that Ceballos is worthy of being released on bond.

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 Cecil Hannibal

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    ELK GROVE, California (KCRA) — Tom Mahon, a fourth-generation rancher in Elk Grove, is turning his historic family ranch into a concert venue this weekend, hosting 20,000 country music fans for a Luke Bryan performance that fulfills his late wife Cindy’s dream.

“This is a house our great-grandfather built in 1891,” Mahon said, reflecting on the legacy of his family’s ranch, which produces beef, hay, and alfalfa hay. “We’re very proud of that. We’re glad to be a part of a vital service.”

Mahon said he has recently expanded his ranch’s activities to include entertainment. His wife, Cindy, a devoted Luke Bryan fan, had expressed her wish for a country music concert on their property just weeks before her passing in September.

“Cindy and I were married for 44 years,” Mahon said. “She was a great wife, partner. She was a really good woman.” He shared that Cindy passed away suddenly while they were watching Netflix together, and doctors suspect her heart gave out.

Since her passing, Mahon has been coping with grief by keeping himself busy. “It’s been very lonely. I have been working till dark every day, and I come in the house and work for a few more hours. It helps me to sleep if I go to bed exhausted,” he said.

About a month and a half after Cindy’s death, Mahon received an unexpected phone call asking if he would host a Luke Bryan concert on his ranch. “I said, yeah,” Mahon recalled.

Mahon revealed that Cindy had shared her dream of hosting a country music concert on their property just two weeks before her passing. “She said, you know, it would be really neat if we could have a country western concert here someday. She said that would be really cool to have somebody like Luke Bryan or Jelly Roll.”

Mahon said he never reached out to concert organizers, and they had no idea about Cindy’s wish.

“That’s a pretty big coincidence,” he said. “I got to believe that she had something to do with this. She was always the one to be in the background, making things happen.”

In just a few days, thousands of music fans will gather on Mahon’s ranch, turning empty fields into a lively concert venue.

“She would be ecstatic about it,” Mahon said. “That’s 100% the motivation for me.”

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 Whelan

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    WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLWT) — Inside a West Chester bedroom lined with heavy metal posters and guitars is where 19-year-old Jayden Zurlinden now spends most of his days, after cancer spread to his lungs, spine, liver and thigh.

But Jayden refuses to stop fighting.

“I’m always telling people, you know, it’s not going to be me giving up at the end,” Jayden said. “It’s going to be because there’s nothing else left for me.”

Jayden was first diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer called perineal rhabdomyosarcoma when he was a baby. His parents said doctors warned them the odds were stacked against him. Yet he beat them.

As he grew older, Jayden became a two-time Ohio state wrestling champion. He taught himself how to play guitar. He surrounded himself with friends and family. For years, his family thought cancer was behind them.

Then, in 2023, everything changed.

After months of unexplained pain, rapid weight loss and night sweats, doctors diagnosed Jayden with osteosarcoma — an aggressive form of bone cancer that his family says was likely caused by the radiation treatments that originally saved his life as a child.

“Terrifying,” said Jayden’s father, Jay Zurlinden. “It’s terrifying what you think and what goes through your head.”

Jayden endured chemotherapy, radiation and major surgery. Doctors removed half of his pelvis and replaced it with a custom 3D-printed implant.

For a while, things improved. His parents said he was able to go back to work, spend time with friends and regain some normalcy.

But eventually, the cancer spread again.

Now, with many traditional treatment options exhausted, the family says they began searching for anything that could give Jayden another chance.

That search led them to an experimental drug called DT2216 through a clinic in California.

Jayden’s mother, Cassie Zurlinden, spent days researching the treatment and gathering every medical document she could find — scans, pathology reports, lab work and doctor notes.

Then, on Mother’s Day, she boarded a plane.

“She’s like, ‘I’m catching a plane. I’m going straight out there,’” Jay Zurlinden recalled. “‘I’m going to wait at the door until it opens and I’m going to hand them this binder and make them say Jayden’s name and look over his case.’”

Cassie said she knew the clinic was receiving countless requests from desperate families across the country. She wanted to make sure doctors saw Jayden as more than just another file.

“I just made a binder and put his picture all over it,” she said. “Because if you’re going to tell me no, you’re going to look at my kid’s picture and say no.”

She says the clinic told her reviews normally take weeks.

The family got a call back within hours.

Jayden now qualifies for the experimental treatment, though major hurdles still remain, including cost, logistics and the possibility of relocating to California if treatment moves forward.

Still, the family says the call brought something they desperately needed: hope.

“Just the fact that there was anything out there that gives me a chance to keep going is a blessing for real,” Jayden said.

Even now, while facing his own battle, Jayden continues thinking about other children with cancer.

He started an effort called “Cards for Cancer,” collecting and donating trading cards to young cancer patients in hopes of giving them moments of happiness during treatment.

“Helping other people helps me more than helping myself,” he said.

His parents describe him as selfless, compassionate and wise beyond his years — someone who comforts others even while enduring unimaginable pain himself.

Jayden says one of his biggest goals now is raising awareness for pediatric cancer research, particularly for sarcomas, which he says often receive far less attention and funding.

“Osteosarcoma, sadly, sarcoma in general isn’t really looked into much as a disease,” he said. “The fact that there was anything out there that gives me a chance to keep going is a blessing.”

And despite everything, Jayden still has a message for others facing difficult moments:

“You are cared for. You are loved,” he said. “Somebody out there loves you.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family.

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 Felix Cortez

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    SEASIDE, California (KSBW) — A Seaside man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he sexually molested children and sexually assaulted a cat.

Those charges were leveled against 21-year-old Zai Soto of Seaside, who faces 75 years to life in prison if convicted.

“It’s cases like this that are especially heartbreaking because, if you really think about it, infants and animals are the most vulnerable members of our community. They don’t have the ability to speak up for themselves,” said Lana Nassoura, assistant district attorney with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

Police originally began investigating Soto for allegedly committing lewd acts on two children under the age of 13 at a store where he worked in the 700 block of Cannery Row. Investigators eventually searched Soto’s electronic devices and allegedly found videos of him sexually molesting an 18-month-old toddler and sexually assaulting a cat.

“As we know, victims who are infants, babies, toddlers, and animals can’t report the crime to others. They can’t tell someone what’s happening to them. They often don’t understand that what’s happening to them is, in fact, wrong. So, thankfully, we have digital evidence in this case,” Nassoura said.

In court Wednesday, Soto pleaded not guilty to 18 sex crime charges involving three children and a cat. Soto was arrested Monday by Seaside police, who described the case as one of the worst they have ever investigated.

“It is one of the things that just really hits you. It really strikes you, and it’s disturbing. So we have right now a person under arrest for some very serious charges, and we have very good evidence to push forward on,” said Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges.

Police and prosecutors are not ruling out the possibility that there may be more alleged victims.

“So anyone out there with information, or if you’re a potential victim or know someone who could be, please bring that forward. We cannot let a person like this get away with any crime involving harming children,” Borges said.

Anyone with information regarding Zai Soto is asked to contact the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

Soto remains in custody at the Monterey County Jail on bond set at more than $4 million.

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 Tony Cabrera

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A grassroots athletic brand is hoping to shine light on health and wellness in South LA. It’s called Barrio Athletics, a growing fitness community focused on inspiring fitness in the streets.

“It’s just amazing seeing everybody coming from the community from all different ages,” said 25-year-old Henry Gallardo, who initially started the group as an athletic brand focused on the neighborhood, with a familiar window gate as part of the clothing designs.

“So you’re from South Central LA or any like similar barrios, you understand this gate because you see it as you’re growing up as a kid and you see it when you’re when you are older and it just represents home,” he said.

Then last year, he held his first running event and ever since, it has continued to grow.

“I was like, I don’t know, I feel like I belong there, you know, community-wise, like especially because I want to be running with my people,” said Alejandra Herrera of East LA.

“I love the vibe, the community, it feels good doing something for the community and showing everybody that it’s okay to run and be safe in South Central while running,” said Edgar Galvez of South LA.

Sometimes there are 40 people that show up to events, but they’ve also seen up to 350 people, all there to celebrate health in the barrio.

“Whether it’s one person or 100 people, we just want people to be felt heard and felt represented and just have a nice space where you could practice your health,” said Gallardo.

And when it’s all over, a chance to catch their breath and socialize.

“After we hang out, whether it’s at a cafe or whether it a smoothie shop or a juice bar, we just like hanging out after,” he said.

The group usually runs three miles. For more information go to BarrioAthletics.com or their instagram page.

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 KCCI Web Staff

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    ANKENY, Iowa (KCCI) — An Ankeny couple is accused of providing an underage female with alcohol and sexually abusing her while she was intoxicated.

Authorities have charged Chad and Shannon Biddle with third-degree sexual abuse. According to court documents, the incident happened at the Biddle’s Ankeny home in January.

The couple allegedly gave the victim “liquor and wine,” and both admitted to police that they knew the female was intoxicated, according to criminal complaints.

Documents show the victim says she did not remember what happened when she woke up the next day.

Chad Biddle is set to appear in court on May 21, and Shannon Biddle’s next court date is May 22.

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 Jason Burger

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    SHAWNEE, Oklahoma (KOCO) — A Shawnee mother’s determination to honor her son, who died in a crash involving nitrous oxide intoxication, has led to the passage of the Maddix Bias Act, a new law aimed at restricting the substance’s misuse.

“I was starting to get really down about it, just trying to get it be heard on the senate floor, because that’s all we needed this year,” said Candi Morris, Maddix Bias’s mother.

Mother’s Day was a difficult time for Morris, but the day after, she received a call that lifted her spirits.

“It was a really hard day for me, and the very next day, I got the call that the Governor had signed it,” she said.

The Maddix Bias Act, named after her son, restricts nitrous oxide to medical and dental purposes, as well as automotive and restaurant industries, where it can only be obtained from suppliers. The law makes it a misdemeanor to possess, buy, sell, or transfer nitrous oxide for intoxication purposes. Violators could face up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

When asked how Maddix’s story was received by lawmakers, Morris said, “They understood my goal of not wanting it to happen to another child, and another mother having to bury their child, so they very much understood that.”

Maddix graduated from Tecumseh High School in 2023, where he played baseball and wore the No. 7 jersey. Morris noticed a meaningful coincidence when the bill named after her son was listed as number seven on the Senate agenda.

“It was listed as number 7 on the agenda for the Senate that next day, and that was Maddix’s baseball number his whole life,” she said.

After two years of advocacy, Morris said she feels her son has been guiding her throughout the process.

“It was like a gift from him — and so it seems like I keep getting little crumbles whenever I need lifting up just to keep going,” she said.

The Maddix Bias Act will go into effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session.

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 Michael Chen

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    EL CAJON, California (KGTV) — A power outage almost ended a Little League playoff game in Blossom Valley — until firefighters came to the rescue.

A power line began arcing just before 7 p.m. Tuesday near the Rios Canyon Little League field in Blossom Valley, threatening to cancel a District 41 Tournament of Champions playoff game between two teams of kids ages 10 to 12.

The outage struck in the third inning, knocking out the field lights and putting the rest of the game in doubt.

“Our electrical lights started to flicker, and a few seconds later, we lost all power,” parent and league board member Ryan Abell said.

Abell said the stakes were high. Pitcher pitch count rules could have helped force playoff games to be rescheduled if the game couldn’t be completed.

“We thought we were going to have to cancel the game, potentially the whole week of play,” Abell said.

Lakeside Fire responded to the scene. After securing the area ahead of SDG&E repairs, a fire captain learned the game was in jeopardy.

“Maybe a little heartfelt. He didn’t want the kids to go home and be sad,” said Fire Marshal Jeremy Davis. “Let’s let them play baseball.”

The captain got approval to bring in a rescue unit equipped with a 15-foot-tall LED light tower sporting six powerful lights. The unit was set up right next to the left field line, while remaining available for emergency calls.

When I asked Abell about his reaction when the light tower went up, he said, “The game was saved.”

“It lit up the entire outfield, a good majority of the infield, and allowed us to finish the game,” Bell said.

After the game, the kids got a tour of the fire rig.

“Big smiles on their faces, parents too,” Abell said.

Abell said the moment left a lasting impression on everyone there.

“You’re feeling these guys are true heroes, willing to rally around the community. They saw that these boys and their families mattered. Incredibly grateful for their service, above and beyond,” Abell said. “This is going to be a memory we will never forget.”

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KGTV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.