Category: CNN Regional

By Randi Rousseau

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    NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (WDSU) — Dental students in New Orleans are eying a different kind of crown these days.

The LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry’s Principles of Occlusion class is proud to present the 2026 Art Cast Contest, a project breaking the mold when it comes to traditional learning.

They are coupling curriculum with creativity, crafting works of art out of the dental casts.

“We teach them how to make these dental casts,” said Dr. Jorge Palavicini. “And as they’re making these dental casts, they, well, they end up with a whole bunch of them. So, at the end of the year, instead of throwing them away, I make them turn it into an art piece.”

From the grinning Cheshire Cat to Mount “Brushmore,” even a wedding cake you can really sink your teeth into, students certainly drill into the assignment.

“It’s awesome. It’s a good chance and a good break from just all of the studying and all the exams and practicals that we do for our first year,” said Becca Simar.

Three out of every four dentists or dental hygienists practicing in Louisiana are graduates of the school.

Palavicini started the contest 7 years ago, and since then, it’s become a unique and beloved tradition, garnering many smiles.

“Because of the New Orleans vibe, because of the New Orleans environment, I think this is great,” said Palavicini. “And we can see them display the other, even the other year’s, projects. We have them in the library here.”

While the winner may not get a plaque, per se, the experience plus bragging rights really leaves a lasting impression.

“Dentistry is a large aspect creativity. So, it’s really cool to see them learn some of the first skills that they learned this year and take it and make these beautiful projects,” said Ethan Redlich.

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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    MALVERN, Iowa (KETV) — It’s been five years since a fire destroyed Mulholland’s Grocery in Malvern, Iowa, an over 150-year-old family-run store.

Fourth-generation owner Tom Mulholland worked to reopen the store after three long years. But now, he says it’s a struggle to pay off the price tag of rebuilding. “Insurance was nowhere near enough,” Mulholland said. “I am in debt about $700,000 right now, and the store is having enough business doing enough that we would be okay if it wasn’t for those huge loan payments every month.”

During the years of rebuilding, the town and the surrounding area was left without a grocery store.

“It was an over 22-mile round trip to the closest grocery store. There were people that walked to this grocery store. There were people that ride electric scooters to this grocery store because that’s all they’ve got. So, it was a real hardship,” Mulholland said. At 66 years old, Mulholland works 65 hours a week to keep the store running. Then the community found out he was using his retirement savings to help pay off the rebuilding loans.

“I love my job, you know, that’s all by choice, but I’m trying to be there for the people that really depend on us,” Mulholland said. “In the time I’ve had my grocery store, within 45 miles, six communities have lost their only grocery store.”

An online fundraiser is trying to help pay off the loans. So far, it’s raised $38,000.

“There’s a lot of anonymous people on there. I see that a high school girlfriend donated $1,000. I mean, that really says something,” Mulholland said. Mulholland said he just wants to keep his family’s legacy alive and keep his hometown from becoming a food desert.

“I want to build this store to be strong enough so that someone else will want to take over, and there will still be a store here to take care of people for the next 20 or 30 years,” Mulholland said.

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By Sean MacKinnon

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    CINCINNATI, Ohio (WLWT) — A concerning situation unfolded on Wednesday at Cincinnati’s City Hall, when a woman tried to bring a sword into council chambers.

It happened on Wednesday afternoon during the public comment portion of the Cincinnati city council meeting, causing a serious scare.

Police said the suspect had the sword hidden inside a cane and made it past City Hall security. Councilmembers said the sword wasn’t pulled from the cane but it surprised them that the sword made it through security.

According to Cincinnati Police, Alexandra Dalton, 29, was arrested. She was charged with resisting arrest, inducing panic, carrying concealed weapons and interrupting a lawful meeting.

“So your officers just took my cane,” Dalton said into the mic during public comment, moments before she was arrested.

Police said Dalton misled security by claiming the cane was for a disability, with the sword concealed inside it.

“They attempted to ask her to step out, to make sure that they cleared the chambers, if she had a weapon. It didn’t appear it went the way in which she was willing to step out, and i saw the police try to effect an arrest,” councilmember Scotty Johnson said.

Police said everyone inside the building was safe and the suspect was escorted out of the building by law enforcement.

Mayor Aftab Pureval called for a recess, and once the meeting resumed, Pureval explained what happened inside.

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By Jacob Murphy

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    WILTON, Maine (WMTW) — What started as a pleasant spring day quickly came crashing down for one Wilton family. Scott Towers was visiting his brother’s home with his wife and three kids Tuesday afternoon. Their short walk home quickly turned for the worse when thunderstorms caught them by surprise.

“I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve never experienced anything like the weather that had come through here,” Towers said.

His brother only lives about two houses down in the Arkay Mobile Home Park. It takes less than two minutes, but even in that short time, Towers says

“It was like a bomb went off. The poles all started to snap and come down around us, and the trees were all started popping,” he said. “My wife had told our kids to run home because we really thought it was a tornado coming through. It was that extreme.”

Towers admits what happened next was a blur. He was running home with his son when one power line had fallen nearby, and he could see the power lines were going to land directly on him and his son.

“I shoved him forward, and when I shoved him forward, the lines dropped right in front of me,” he said. “The lines literally fell in my hands, and I just had to hold on to them because my son was right there. When I held on him, it threw me backwards about four or five feet onto the ground, and I completely blacked out.”

Towers’ brother and neighbors saw and heard what had happened, and came rushing to his aid.

“I had seen him collapse on the ground. Me and his brother went over to try and see. He wasn’t breathing, he wasn’t moving,” said Tyler Steadman, who lives across the street.

His brother, Dustin Towers, says he attempted some chest compressions on him. Eventually, he was able to wake him. “I grabbed him by the head and I shook him. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through.”

Scott Towers was taken to the hospital, but thanks to his quick reflexes, the rest of his family only had minor scrapes and bruises. Towers says electricity had traveled through his hand out of his elbow.

He was back home Wednesday morning, now with a heart monitor as a precaution.

“I would do it time and time and time again. You know, it’s not necessarily that I went out of my way to grab [the power line]. I had to catch it, or it was going to land on my son, and there was no question about that,” Towers said.

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By Angela Rozier

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    MARTIN COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — The Martin County Fire Rescue is welcoming a new four-legged member to the team as part of an effort to support firefighters’ mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Mango, a Dalmatian and the department’s first therapy dog, is now making the rounds at fire stations to meet crews.

Firefighting is widely known as one of the most stressful professions, and department leaders said Mango’s role is meant to help firefighters process difficult experiences after traumatic calls. “Firefighters are trained to be strong for others, but that doesn’t mean we don’t struggle ourselves,” Chief Chris Kammel said in a statement. “Mango is here to remind our crews that it’s okay to take a moment to breathe and heal.”

Kammel, Mango’s handler, said the dog does more than bring smiles to the station.

“Just being in a room with a dog, your cortisol levels drop, your stress levels come down, and you just become a more open person,” Kammel said. “So, if we’re doing critical incident stress management after a really bad call, just having the dog in the room makes people more willing to open up and discuss things, which decreases stress and helps combat PTSD in the long term.”

According to the International Association for Fire Fighters, 22% of fire service members will meet the criteria for PTSD at some point in their careers, compared with 11% to 30% of military veterans and 6% of the general population. While Dalmatians have long been associated with firehouses, officials said Mango’s role goes far beyond tradition. The dog was gifted to Martin County Fire Rescue by Furry Friends in Jupiter and had been specially trained to provide comfort and emotional support.

Right now, Mango’s handler is bringing him to stations on a routine basis so crews can get to know him. Kammel said Mango will also respond after especially difficult calls, when firefighters may need extra support.

“But also respond if there is a situation in which we have a critical incident that we have to debrief on,” Kammel said. “When we do that, I’ll bring him to the station to have everybody pet the dog beforehand, before they start having conversations, just so they’re more willing to open up and feel more emotionally supported.”

Officials said Mango’s presence is designed to create a safe, calming environment where firefighters feel more comfortable talking about what they’ve been through.

And while Mango may already be winning over crews with his gentle personality, Kammel said he still has a few quirks.

“He does not like lizards. He hates lizards a lot. He loves to chase squirrels,” Kammel said. “Anything that moves, he wants to chase after it. But when it comes to interacting with people, he’s gentle and loving.”

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By Kennedy Mason

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    ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — Fifty-five sloths died in unsuitable conditions at the failed and never-opened Sloth World attraction in Orlando.

Experts and officials are now demanding accountability and changes to how these animals are handled. Dr. Rebecca Cliffe, founder of the Sloth Conservation Foundation, said the animals were kept in conditions they could not survive.

She explained that sloths are biologically adapted to warm environments and diets consisting of greens, but the conditions they faced were far from suitable.

Cliffe said that in 2024, 21 sloths were placed in what she called an unpermitted warehouse with no electricity. Another 10 sloths were brought in and died as well.

Cliffe said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission became aware of the sloth deaths in August 2025 but allowed the facility to continue importing sloths until March 2026.

During that time, another 21 sloths died, bringing the total to 55. Cliffe questioned why FWC claimed there was no evidence of violations.

“Under Florida law, it is a criminal offense to subject animals to unnecessary suffering. Placing highly sensitive animals into a warehouse with no electricity, no heat, and no running water resulted in predictable, visible, and highly preventable [deaths]. I have a hard time understanding how that does constitute a violation,” Cliffe said.

State Attorney Monique Worrell issued a statement, saying, “We will do everything within our power to ensure accountability in this matter.”

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Cliffe said her organization is calling for a ban on the importation of wild sloths into the United States for commercial purposes and private ownership. They are also advocating for a review of how sloths are classified and full transparency when animals die in such facilities.

During a news conference, Rep. Anna Eskamani criticized the people behind the attraction, calling them unqualified.

Necropsy reports obtained by WESH 2 show the sloths suffered from a long list of serious health issues.

The reports also reveal that the animals were fed the wrong kind of food, including brown rice instead of fresh greens.

The CEO of the Central Florida Zoo said, “That kind of diet is not good for sloths.”

The Sloth Conservation Foundation in a second news conference on Wednesday called for a ban on importing sloths into the U.S. for personal or commercial use.

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By Deborah Weiner

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    JESSUP, Maryland (WBAL) — This time of year, it’s a regular occurrence to see proms, spring formals and dances — things that can bring lasting memories.

For one little girl and a Maryland father, that was very much the case in a place where the events are uncommon and earned.

“I’m really excited about this, actually a little overwhelmed,” said Ryan Samuel, an inmate. “Just being able to see her, do what we do, some sense of normalcy.”

The day finally arrived. First, the new shoes with the white bows have to come off. Eva and her Uncle Roger must pass through security.

Eva lives in Virginia Beach, so she only sees her father once or twice a year. She tapped her new shoes together as she waited to see her father

“I’m going to run up and give him a big hug,” Eva Samuel said.

The other children — some younger, some older — wore their best as they embarked on the walk across the Jessup Correctional Institution for a rare father-daughter dance inside the maximum-security prison.

“Because it happened when she was so young, a lot of her current memories of him are of him being in prison,” said Roger Samuel, Eva Samuel’s uncle.

Eva’s father, Ryan Samuel, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault involving police. His 16-year sentence isn’t up until 2032.

“This is not ‘Lock them up and throw away the key,'” said Carolyn Scruggs, secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. “This is, ‘Make them better than they were when they came.'”

Inside the prison gym, where the dance was held, Eva and her uncle found ways to stay busy. Nearby, the dads sported donated suits and ties — there were no prison uniforms for the dance.

There are no physical limits to the visit. It marks a difference compared to a regular visit, where just one hug is permitted.

The fathers at the dance underwent programs like anger management and crisis de-escalation and have had no serious infractions for one year — or even a minor one for half a year.

“I liked to make a lot of excuses when I was first incarcerated,” Ryan Samuel said. “‘This is why it happened,’ when the only excuse was (that) I wasn’t ready to be a member of society, and I needed this time.”

“I’m proud of you, bro, like, I’m really proud of you,” Roger Samuel told Ryan Samuel.

“He’s matured more in four years than his entire life, and that is what I want from a correctional system,” Uncle Roger said.

“Whether they are behind the wall or outside the wall, a father is a father — regardless of their situation,” said Damean Stewart, a warden.

When it came time to dance, maybe a slower dance was just about right.

“Even at the little moments when things are about to overwhelm, I have to remember what I have on the outside,” Ryan Samuel said. “I just want her to always know that she is my motivation.”

The two took their time, made up for time, and made a memory that can be sustained for a lifetime.

More than half of those incarcerated in Maryland prisons will be going back home someday, so the idea is to strengthen the family bond to help with that transition and keep them out of trouble.

Ryan Samuel is getting his college degree in prison through Bowie State. He currently has a 4.0 GPA.

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By Manuelita Beck

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved a key permit Wednesday for a controversial data center project in the West Valley.

Project Baccara would put two data centers and a gas power plant on a 160-acre site in unincorporated Maricopa County off Olive Avenue and Litchfield Road near Luke Air Force Base.

The supervisors voted 4-1 to issue the project a military compatibility permit, which state law requires for development near military bases.

“We’re not here today, really, to discuss … ‘Should this remain vacant land?’” said Supervisor Debbie Lesko, who voted in favor of the permit. “We’re here for this military compatibility permit.”

Supervisor Mark Stewart agreed.

“It’s about whether or not the military is OK with this being next to the Air Force base, and they are,” he said.

Supervisor Steve Gallardo was the lone “no” vote.

“I really do not believe that this is the appropriate location for this project,” he said. “There are so many outstanding questions.”

According to the developer’s presentation to the board, data center buildings will be on 110 acres of the site, with a 32-acre turbine yard and an APS substation on 12 acres.

Ed Bull of Baccara Eagle Land told supervisors they accepted all of the conditions Luke Air Force Base listed in their letter of compatibility.

“It’s a huge investment in the county,” he said. “It is a part of what we need to not only operate as citizens, but operate as a part of our country’s economy and national defense and so on and so forth.”

Supervisors received approximately 440 emails in opposition, and 22 people spoke out against Project Baccara at Wednesday’s meeting.

Beth Mortensen, who lives half a mile away from the site, told supervisors she was concerned the developer had not adequately addressed safety concerns about the storage of propane at the site.

“I’m very disappointed,” she told ABC15 after the vote. “Through this whole process, I have not really felt that we’ve been heard or had an opportunity to say our side of the story.”

April Butler, who lives less than a mile away from the proposed data center, has lived in the area for six generations.

“The health issues that we could get from this one, they’re not only going to affect me, they’re going to affect my whole family,” she told ABC15 after the vote, adding that her father has breathing issues.

Takanock, the project’s out-of-state developer, is here to make money, Butler said, while families like hers could get sick.

“It’s too close to homes. It’s too close to families. It’s too close to communities,” she said, adding that she’s worried steam from the natural-gas turbines could affect visibility for pilots at Luke.

Bull told supervisors the developer had addressed concerns about the propane storage facility and about air quality. He also said the facility is expected to use less water than it has rights to, saying it will use less water than agriculture.

Three people at the meeting spoke in favor of Project Baccara, saying the data center will create jobs and spur economic growth.

“The data center positions are not only well-paying jobs, but they are careers that offer health insurance benefits and retirement benefits,” said Capand Alizadeh of the Arizona Technology Council.

Butler said the West Valley already has plenty of data centers.

“How many do we need?” she said. “There’s like 11 right in that immediate area. There’s three big campuses. They’re everywhere.”

Wednesday’s permit vote was one of the final approvals needed for the project.

The Arizona Corporation Commission unanimously approved a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility in February, and the city of Glendale has taken steps to annex the land.

Opponents say they plan to take their fight to the city next.

“We’re not done,” Butler said. “We’re not done.

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By Bianca Buono

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    HUNTINGTON PARK, California (KABC) — A Huntington Park woman is being rewarded for her kindness after she found a missing 78-year-old woman with dementia who had wandered away from her home.

Security camera footage shows Jeanne Litvin cleaning up a front yard in Huntington Park, a sight that initially appeared unremarkable. But Maggie Castellanos, who lives at the home, sensed something was wrong.

At the time, Castellanos did not know the woman had been missing for more than two days and that a massive search effort was underway.

“I asked her if she was OK, if she was lost. She wasn’t coherent,” Castellanos recalled.

Litvin has primary progressive aphasia, a type of dementia that affects her ability to communicate.

Her husband, Mel Teitelbaum, was concerned when he woke up the morning of April 15 and found her gone.

“I go downstairs looking for her and the door was slightly ajar,” Teitelbaum said.

Teitelbaum teamed up with Hatzolah of Los Angeles, a volunteer emergency response organization. They started combing through their neighborhood near The Grove.

Litvin walked for hours and at some point boarded a bus, ending up nearly 15 miles from home. It remains unclear where she ate or slept during the two days she was missing.

“I cannot imagine what it is to go through something like that,” Castellanos said.

Castellanos called police, and Litvin was taken to a hospital. It took a week to confirm her identity, reuniting her with loved ones after she had been missing for 10 days.

“The longer it took us to find her, the more I felt that she was still with us,” Teitelbaum said.

On Tuesday, Castellanos was recognized for her kindness. Unbeknownst to her, there was a $25,000 reward for bringing Litvin home.

“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” Castellanos said.

“It’s our civic duty to help other people,” she added.

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By Kelly Werthmann

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    AURORA, Colorado (KCNC) — When Yoshu Ngwa arrived in the United States three years ago, he felt like he was already running behind.

“I always felt like I was running late in a race,” Ngwa said. “My peers were already ahead of me… and I was still tying my shoe.”

Now, the Gateway High School senior is about to graduate near the top of his class, and as one of a select group of students statewide to earn the prestigious Boettcher Scholarship, which covers the full cost of attending a four-year college in Colorado. Ngwa’s journey to that moment spans continents, conflict and years of interrupted education.

Born in Myanmar, Ngwa fled civil war with his family when he was seven years old. They spent years as refugees in Malaysia, where access to consistent schooling was limited. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Ngwa said he had to drop out of school in seventh grade.

“As someone who didn’t have access to proper internet, it was very challenging for me to take online classes,” he said.

In 2023, at age 16, Ngwa and his family legally immigrated to the United States, settling in Aurora. He enrolled at Gateway High School as a sophomore, effectively skipping ninth grade despite missing years of formal education. That meant catching up quickly.

“I had to try really hard to catch up to my peers, and it was a very, very tough journey,” he said. Ngwa took on extra classes and leaned into every opportunity he could find, from tutoring to concurrent enrollment.

“What motivated me the most is the advantages that the United States offers for high school students,” he said. “Access to school, tutoring, even free college classes…I didn’t take any of that for granted.”

His workload quickly grew beyond a typical high school schedule. By the time he graduates this spring, Ngwa will have earned more than 100 college credits through the Community College of Aurora along with three associate degrees in science, biology and general studies.

He is also ranked fifth in his graduating class.

“I just kept working,” he said. “Through hard work and consistency, I was able to catch up.”

That drive extended beyond the classroom. Ngwa also volunteered at UCHealth, where he was introduced to the field of cardiology; an experience that helped define his future.

“Service is a part of me,” he said. “Being in the medical field, especially cardiology, aligns with my dream of serving people. It’s a lifetime commitment.”

This fall, Ngwa will attend the University of Colorado Boulder on a pre-med track. He will be the first in his family to attend college. The Boettcher Scholarship, he said, removes a major barrier.

“I don’t have to worry about financial stress and can focus on my education and the impact I want to make in the future,” he said. Outside his academic work, Ngwa also gives back to the community in Aurora — volunteering as an interpreter and helping families navigate systems he once had to learn himself. For Ngwa, his journey is not just about personal success, but about what is possible.

“I would say, you will eventually make it one day,” he said. “If you have a goal, determination and put in the work.”

From a disrupted education to academic distinction, Ngwa’s path has been anything but traditional.

It’s one he hopes others will see and believe they can follow.

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