Category: CNN Regional

By WDJT News Staff

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — More beagles are getting a second chance after leaving Ridglan Farms. Rescues across the country are taking in the dogs this week, including hundreds headed to Wisconsin Humane Society campuses, the Dane County Humane Society, and HAWS in Waukesha.

Monday night, the Wisconsin Humane Society Milwaukee campus welcomed their first transport of 20 beagles.

Staff members checked each dog as they came in, making sure they were healthy and safe after the long trip.

Ten of those beagles will be going out to foster homes immediately and 10 will stay at the shelter Monday night.

The humane society says 90 more beagles will be picked up from Dane County on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 65 of those dogs going to the Milwaukee campus and 25 going to their Green Bay campus.

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 Jacob Murphy

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — Khalib Jones is a 14-year-old Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) student in 8th grade at Wedgewood Park International School.

Jones says he was picked up and slammed to the ground by a janitor at school last Friday, May 8.

He says it was after a conversation about football with the janitor turned into an argument, and he walked away from him.

“People started saying he was coming up behind me, and I turned around and he picked me up and slammed me to the ground,” Jones said. “My head hurt and then my arm hurt, but it was mainly my head.”

MPD confirms the department is investigating a child abuse complaint that happened on Friday, May 8, and that a preliminary investigation says an MPS employee struck a student, causing the student pain.

Following the incident, a 26-year-old man was arrested, and criminal charges are being referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.

“He lifted me up pretty high into the sky and slammed me to the ground,” Jones said.

Khalib’s father, Sery Jones, says he wants the staff member to face consequences.

“It’s frustrating because you send your kids to school expecting them to be safe, and then all of a sudden you get that type of news,” Jones said. “Whatever charges they bring up, I hope they uphold them.”

Wedgewood Park International Principal Elhadji Ndaw sent a letter to parents on Friday.

“Today, we received a report that a staff member allegedly grabbed and pushed a student. We immediately notified the Milwaukee Police Department, and they are investigating. We also notified Child Protective Services. The individual is not currently working in the building,” the letter said.

Sery Jones said he spoke with police when he arrived on Friday.

“The two police officers explained to us what happened, the principal explained, I guess they showed the officers the video of what happened and the officers were like, yeah, you should definitely press charges,” Jones 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 Shelley Bortz

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    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A terrifying security breach at Denver International Airport is now raising urgent questions nationwide after a man got onto an active runway and was killed by a departing plane.

KDKA went to Pittsburgh International Airport to find out just how difficult it would be for someone to get close to restricted airfield areas here at home.

The incident in Denver is now shining a spotlight on airport perimeter security across the country. And today at Pittsburgh International on Monday, what stood out was how easy it is in some areas to walk right up to the fence surrounding the airfield. Using a cellphone for scale, we wanted to show you exactly what separates the public from active runway areas.

Passengers are screened, scanned and checked multiple times before ever stepping onto a plane. But after a deadly runway breach in Denver, KDKA wanted to know what security looks like outside the airport along the fencing surrounding restricted airfield areas.

Using a public roadway, we accessed an area directly beside the airport fencing. We remained there recording video for nearly 10 minutes, and during that entire time, no security personnel, patrol vehicles, or airport employees ever approached us.

Using a cellphone camera, we documented in real time just how close someone can get to restricted airfield areas from outside the airport perimeter.

And while this section of fence did include barbed wire, so did the area that was jumped in Denver, and the fact that no one appeared to be actively monitoring this area on Monday raises new questions about perimeter security and response.

KDKA’s Shelley Bortz is 5-foot-10, and standing up against the fence that surrounds the runway, you could see that it’s really not that much taller than her. When she raised her arm, you could see the fence is roughly around 8 feet high.

However, airports rely on multiple layers of security beyond fencing alone, including cameras, patrols and monitoring systems.

KDKA contacted Allegheny County Airport Authority about what we found, and in a statement, it says:

“Safety and security are always the top priority at Pittsburgh International Airport. Like any major security event in the industry, our team is aware and is reviewing the incident that occurred in Denver. While we can’t discuss specific security measures, our operations team along with Allegheny County Police, patrol and inspect perimeter areas around PIT which include publicly accessible areas. Our teams are constantly evaluating new technology to enhance security measures and make adjustments and additions is necessary. These evaluations have been ongoing long before the incident in Denver this past weekend.”

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By Mahsa Saeidi

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    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — Online shoppers looking for prom dresses are urged to be extra careful as there’s an uptick in scams targeting teens and families.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Visa are both warning consumers to pause before making a purchase.

“We see a lot of bait and switch websites right now going on,” said Claire Rosenzweig, president and CEO of the BBB Metro New York.

She said these websites often have whimsical names, painting the perfect prom picture. It makes it look like the buyer is shopping from a legitimate boutique.

“They’re showing you these beautiful accessories, dresses, everything else. They’re putting some sort of a story with it, like it’s a family-owned business,” Rosenzweig said.

Visa’s risk department said they are seeing the same trend.

Red flags to look for Kausar Kenning, Visa’s vice president of intelligence and controls, said teens are being directed to fraudulent websites.

Kenning said if the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

She also said to look out for the return policy. If it’s vague or the contact information is unclear, chances are the buyer may never receive the dress they were expecting.

Another thing to watch out for is non-traditional payment requests like sending money through peer-to-peer payment apps. These platforms don’t offer the same protections as credit cards.

“Visa has that zero liability protection so that if you do report a scam, report fraud, you’re not going to be held liable for that,” Kenning said.

Scammers are also preying on emotions, hoping consumers will make a quick purchase before thinking.

“Scammers really have that emotional IQ,” Kenning said. “They prey on those vulnerabilities like, ‘Oh my god, there’s only one more dress left at that price. I want to hurry and get this deal.'”

How to make sure the online shop is real Experts say they are seeing an increase in the use of AI to create these websites, so it’s important to make sure they are real.

First, reverse search the dress to see if the same photos appear on other websites at vastly different prices.

Second, if there’s a physical address for the store, use Google Street View to see if the location actually exists.

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 Nate Eaton

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    IDAHO FALLS (eastidahonews.com) — A 55-year-old mother of six who has been in a coma for nearly 11 years died on Friday surrounded by her family.

Lauriann Bartell’s family has been caring for her in their Idaho Falls home since 2015, when a routine operation turned into a life-changing journey for her husband, Mike Bartell, and their children.

Lauriann, who went by Lauri, had surgery in August 2015 after doctors discovered an ulcer on her intestine that was bleeding. Following the procedure, Mike says his wife complained that she didn’t feel right. Two days later, still in the hospital, she suddenly woke Mike up.

“I was in the rocking chair next to her sleeping,” Mike told EastIdahoNews.com in 2018. “She told me something was wrong, so I called the nurses and doctors right away.”

he cauterization on her ulcer had broken loose and torn into a major artery.

“She asked me to give her a blessing. Those were the last words she said, and I was finishing the blessing as the doctors were going crazy trying to help her. The nurses were saying, ‘Ms. Bartell, Ms. Bartell,’ and shaking her and trying to get her to talk,” Mike recalled.

Lauri bled out and lost her pulse twice. She was rushed into emergency surgery and survived, but a lack of oxygen to her brain caused major damage. Doctors didn’t think she could pull through.

“I came home and told the children that it looked like Mom wasn’t going to make it,” Mike said. “Then they ran another CT scan, and there was a big change. She had brain activity again. So the neurologist told me if it was me, I wouldn’t give up. I’d take her home and try.”

That’s exactly what Mike did. After a six-week hospital stay, he brought Lauri home. She couldn’t speak, move, eat, respond or do much of anything – but that didn’t matter to him or the kids.

“I would rather take care of her here than have to send her somewhere else,” Sadie Bartell, the couple’s only daughter, told EastIdahoNews.com years ago.

There have been challenges over the years, but the community has rallied around the Bartells.

Over the past few months, Lauri’s health has declined and her organs have been failing. Her family made the decision to take her off life support last week, according to a GoFundMe, and Lauri passed away on Friday at home.

“She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend,” Lauri’s obituary says. “She radiated kindness and compassion and had a gift for making everyone feel seen, loved, and welcomed. Lauri could talk to anyone and treated every person as a child of God. Her life was an example of Christlike love, service, and strength.”

EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.

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By Tony Geftos

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    REDFORD TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WXYZ) — This is not just a game — it is an opportunity to make connections with some kids who could use some encouragement.

Eighteen boys in a foster care program in Redford spent quality time with community leaders, including firefighters and the chief of police. They played a kickball game organized to build trust and connection between first responders and children who have dealt with significant trauma.

Redford Township Police Chief Jennifer Mansfield said the event gives everyone a chance to see one another differently.

“We all get to see each other in a different light than sometimes we do when we’re working, and I personally love seeing the smiles, you know, hearing the laughter, and I also like watching the adults. You know, the adults are having just as much fun as the kids.” Mansfield said.

Nicholas Lavin, a firefighter and paramedic with Redford Township Fire, said the relationships built at events like this extend beyond the field.

“And we see them in the community, too, you know? We’re driving by and we see them waving down the street.” Lavin said. “When we run into them, it’s usually a medical emergency, and that’s no way to create a relationship. Whereas this, a little friendly competition, is fantastic.”

MCHS Family of Services has been around since 1917. Through those years, its goal has remained the same: caring for children. The nonprofit has a campus off 6 Mile Road near Telegraph Road, where boys ages 5 to 18 can live and learn life skills.

That includes Xavier Bowles, who is graduating from Redford Union High School this month. Bowles said the program has helped him develop important skills.

“My good choices, my boundaries and my coping skills.” Bowles said. “My grades, fantastic.” Bowles said.

“I also volunteer with the Redford Union wrestling team and they’re just like every other high school, middle school kid. They just want to have fun,” said Carly Bacigalupo, president of the Redford Jaycees. She was also at the event to participate and show support.

Raquel Sulaiman, chief development officer at MCHS, said outside community involvement makes a meaningful difference for the youth in their care.

“Oh, it’s so important. Our staff do an incredible job coaching, taking care of our youth, looking after them, but we know when there’s outside adults in the community who look after our youth, mentor them and just have positive relationships, that goes such a long way,” Sulaiman said.

Allie Snage, executive director of the Redford Chamber of Commerce, said the event was a success and hinted at more to come.

“It was great. Sounds like we’re looking to do something again towards the end of the summer, so hopefully we can make this a recurring thing.” Snage said.

Both sides declared victory at the end of the game — but the real winners were the young men on the field.

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 Janice Allen

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    GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (WXMI) — A Grand Rapids father nearly lost his life to a stroke at an R&B concert in Detroit — and says a nurse sitting nearby saved him by acting fast.

The life-threatening medical emergency came less than two weeks after Eric Taylor and his family returned from a dream European vacation.

“During our time there, I had no, no issues. I felt great,” Taylor said.

Back at home, Taylor and his wife were looking forward to celebrating their anniversary at the concert in Detroit.

“My wife, she really loves Maxwell, and so what a great way to spend the time together,” Taylor said.

Everything seemed normal on the drive across the state and after they took their seats — until Taylor tried to drink water and couldn’t.

“I think at that time, paralysis had set in, so I had no feeling on my left side, and I think that’s why I fumbled when I went to take that drink of water,” Taylor told FOX 17 News. “I just leaned over on my wife’s shoulder and she asked, was I Okay? but at that time, my speech was slurred, and I think that’s when my wife picked up on just the cue of no, something’s wrong.”

The nurse sitting next to them acted without hesitation.

“And thank God. Immediately she’s like, he’s having a stroke. We need to get him out of here,” Taylor said.

Taylor was rushed to a hospital seven minutes away and underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot.

“I just remember looking up at these lights, and then I was, remember closing my eyes, and I could just feel excruciating pain for about, I would say, maybe 10 seconds. And at that point, I just remember the doctor said, It’s okay. It’s okay. We got the blood clot,” Taylor said.

Taylor, a former professional basketball player and dean at Grand Rapids Christian, has no lingering effects from the 2022 stroke.

He credits his healthy lifestyle, his doctors, and the stranger who spoke up immediately.

“Absolutely without a shadow of a doubt. I think that nurse there, I wish I knew her name, and I could really give a great thank you to her, but I truly think she saved my life. Without a doubt,” Taylor said. “I would just say, hey, thank you. Thank you so much for saving my life.”

Taylor is now an advocate for stroke awareness and is sharing his story in recognition of National Stroke Month this May.

According to the CDC, someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds.

Doctors say it is critical to spot warning signs quickly because a stroke can kill millions of brain cells per minute.

The American Stroke Association urges people to remember the acronym BE-FAST:

B — Balance loss

E — Eye, or vision changes

F — Face drooping

A — Arm weakness

S — Speech difficulties or slurring

T — Time to call 9-1-1

Other symptoms to watch for include numbness, confusion, and sudden severe headache.

As Taylor’s story shows, knowing the signs can be the difference between life and death.

“I really came out of that situation, really blessed,” Taylor said. “I’m just thankful to be able to… share my story, and hopefully bring awareness to National Stroke Month and being able to hopefully help save someone else’s life.”

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXMI’s editorial team 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.

By Lauren Schwentker

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    KANSAS CITY (KSHB) — Dozens of volunteers fanned out across the Kansas City metro area on Mother’s Day, delivering surprise flower bouquets to women struggling with infertility or pregnancy loss.

The effort is called the Peony Project. Founder Shelby Bartelt started the initiative four years ago after experiencing multiple miscarriages.

“That first year, I dropped 12 arrangements around Prairie Village, and we have grown every single year since then,” Bartelt said.

More than 70 bouquets were delivered across the metro Sunday.

Julia Harkleroad, a fertility counselor with Village Fertility Co. and one of the volunteers who helped deliver bouquets, said the project carries deep personal meaning.

“There’s a lot of invisible suffering and grief going on with women undergoing fertility treatment,” Harkleroad said. “Every one of these flowers that are going out to a woman who is unsuspecting today will receive this bouquet at her home.”

Harkleroad said she was moved by the project’s mission, drawing on her own experience.

“Honestly, I’ve cried a lot this week just learning about the Peony Project and thinking about what it would have been like to have received one of these bouquets during my infertility journey,” Harkleroad said.

Volunteer Hope Genilo said the deliveries are meant to remind recipients they are not alone.

“I think it’s just a way for us to hold their hand and show them that they have a community they are seen,” Genilo said. “They have a community around them, and we are here for them, and today is about them, too.”

Harkleroad said being part of the effort on Mother’s Day felt significant for women still waiting to become mothers.

“On a day like Mother’s Day, to be acknowledged that we’re trying and fighting so hard and waiting to become a mom, I can’t tell you how much that means, so it feels really, really inspiring to be a part of it today,” Harkleroad said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KSHB’s editorial team 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.