Category: CNN Regional

By Shannon Brinias

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    SULPHUR, Louisiana (KTBS) — If gas prices or long airport lines have you rethinking your spring travel plans, there’s a getaway in Louisiana that offers a refreshing change of pace—and a whole new perspective on the Bayou State.

Just south of Lake Charles lies the Creole Nature Trail, an “All-American Road” that stretches all the way to the Gulf. It’s a bit more than a one-tank trip from Shreveport, but travelers quickly discover this is no ordinary road journey. The experience is steeped in Creole culture and natural beauty from the very start.

Many visitors begin at the trail’s interactive visitors center in Sulphur, where maps and guidance help set the tone for the adventure ahead. From there, the route heads south through expansive marshlands, where the scenery alone makes the drive worthwhile.

Along more than a dozen stops on the trail, nature takes center stage. The area is known for some of the best birdwatching in the United States, with more than 400 species recorded. Among them are striking roseate spoonbills, easily recognized by their vivid pink coloring. Visitors can use public viewing magnifiers or bring binoculars for a closer look.

Wildlife sightings aren’t limited to birds. Alligators are a common presence in the marshes—something to keep in mind while exploring on foot. Still, for many, the thrill of spotting these creatures in the wild is part of the experience.

The trail also offers opportunities to stop and fish or crab, adding a hands-on element to the journey. Eventually, the road leads to the Gulf, where travelers can dip their toes in the water and take in the coastal views.

Frequent visitors say they return for the peaceful atmosphere. “We come down a couple of times a year. It’s relaxing—really cool,” Nebraskan Joan Coleman shared.

And the journey doesn’t end at the shoreline. Coastal roads take you to the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, while traveling the opposite direction leads to a string of beaches and beauty spots known for sand, surf, and seashell hunting.

For some, it’s the sense of freedom that stands out most. For others, it’s the abundance of birdlife. Either way, the trail offers a chance to slow down, take in a Gulf breeze, and reconnect with nature.

The Creole Nature Trail is one of just 57 All-American Roads across the country—making it not just a local treasure, but a destination worth discovering. More information is available here: Creole Nature Trail All-American Road.

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 Dan Raby

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — Over four decades after a Ware County woman was found strangled to death near a home in Waycross, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says they’ve made an arrest in the case.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that DNA testing helped them identify 68-year-old Freddie Lee Granger Jr. as the suspect in the murder and rape of 22-year-old Sandra Kaye Davis.

Authorities say on Sept. 1, 1984, officers with the Waycross Police Department found Davis’s body beside a home on Kollock Street. Investigators said that she had been strangled. With no suspect identified, the police department requested help from the GBI.

In the years since, officials say they have continued to follow leads and look for the truth behind Davis’s killing. Thanks to advances in DNA testing, authorities say they found their link.

Officers arrested Granger on Tuesday and charged him with rape, aggravated assault, malice murder, and two counts of felony murder. He remains in custody at the Ware County Jail.

The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are asking anyone who may have any information about the case to call the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas at (912) 389-4103 or submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-597-8477 or through the GBI website.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Riley Rourke, Aaron Parseghian

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    HUDSON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A man has been charged with murder after allegedly killing his grandmother with a skateboard in Hudson, Massachusetts.

Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said that a 911 call came in just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday from Munson Street from a woman who said her brother was attacking her with a skateboard.

Moments later, another call came in saying that he had begun to allegedly attack their 90-year-old grandmother with the skateboard. Ryan said that the man, identified as 29-year-old Devin Dube, attacked his grandmother, his sister, and his father, who all lived at the home. Dube fled before officers arrived.

About 45 minutes after the first 911 call came in, Dube was reported running around a property on Tower Street. He was found hiding in a van and arrested.

All three victims were taken to nearby hospitals. Dube’s grandmother, identified as Elaine Dube, died from her injuries at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. The sister and father suffered non-life-threatening injuries to their faces and upper torso and have since been released.

“This is a senseless tragedy and our thoughts are with everyone impacted during this incredibly difficult time,” said Hudson Police Chief Richard DiPersio.

Neighbors said that Elaine Dube was a “sweetheart.”

Ryan said the whole family lived in the home on Munson Street in separate apartments. She said that Hudson Police had been in contact with Dube before, and specified that it had never been domestic.

Dube was charged with murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a person over 60, and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Dube was arraigned in Marlboro District Court on Wednesday and underwent a psychological evaluation by forensic psychologist Dr. Hilary Novak. Dr. Novak said that Dube has a history of schizophrenia and was experiencing auditory hallucinations during her evaluation.

Dr. Novak said she was unsure that Dube was competent to stand trial at this point. As a result, he will undergo a 20-day evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital. Dube will return to court on April 17.

Police Chief DiPersio said that the attack was not random. It is not clear what led up to the altercation. The investigation is ongoing.

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 Adam Thompson, Dennis Valera

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der announced his retirement days after body-worn video was released showing several officers shooting and killing a man with autism outside of an apartment complex in Columbia.

Der served more than four years as the police department’s chief. The retirement is effective beginning June 1.

“After four and a half years of serving as Chief of Police, I am announcing my retirement with a deep sense of gratitude and pride,” Der stated. “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to County Executive Calvin Ball for his steadfast support, leadership, and commitment to public safety. This partnership has been invaluable, and I am grateful for the trust he placed in me and in this department.”

Man with autism shot by police

The police chief’s retirement comes after mounting backlash, including a call for removal, after 25-year-old Alexander LaMorie was shot by officers at the Patuxent Commons in Columbia, an apartment complex that includes units for seniors and people with disabilities.

Police said officers responded to a welfare check at the apartment complex, when officers were met by LaMorie, who refused to drop a knife.

Body-worn video released on Monday, March 30, shows LaMorie walking toward the officers with a knife before several officers fired shots, killing him.

The officers were identified as 2-year veteran Officer Joel Rodriguez, six-year veteran Officer Cody Bostic, and 10-year veteran PFC Joseph Riebau.

The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division is investigating the shooting.

Growing backlash

From the beginning, the police shooting was under heavy scrutiny from residents, community leaders, and elected officials.

For Liz Walsh, a Howard County Councilmember and candidate for County Executive, the police shooting was the tipping point for her concerns with policing in the county.

She sent two letters to Ball on Tuesday, one of which called for Der’s removal as police chief. In that letter, she brought up the county’s officer-involved crash from January, the departure of police leadership, as well as her public back-and-forth about ICE activity.

Her second letter asked questions about what’s been done since Lamorie’s shooting.

In a statement on Monday, Ball said since Lamorie’s death, the county has bought 200 tasers. He also ensured police have been caught up on, and are reviewing policies, to better respond on these incidents in the future.

Deb Jung, another Howard County Councilmember running for County Executive, posted on Facebook that she hopes these measures really help.

Del. Vanessa Atterbeary, another County Executive candidate, said there should have been more investments in mental health response training and non-lethal tools before this shooting even happened.

“I think it is very unfortunate that it took a tragedy to ensure now that the Howard County Police Department and all of the officers have tasers. They should’ve already been equipped with those tasers,” Atterbeary said.

The fourth County Executive candidate, Bob Cockey, said he’d like to see more community engagement with policing in the county.

“I think the police would like to get out of their car, too,” Cockey said over the phone. “When you’re engaged with the community, it’s a good vibe for everybody. Not just for the community, but also for the officers.”

At a news conference nearly two weeks after the shooting, Ball and Der assured the public they were making sure something like Lamorie’s death wouldn’t happen again.

Gregory Der as Howard County police chief

Der started his duties as Howard County Police Chief on January 1, 2022. He was the second appointed by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

He joined the Howard County Police Department in 1999, after starting his law enforcement career as a narcotics detective and patrol officer in Easton, Maryland.

In Howard County, Der has served as a school resource officer, hostage negotiator, property crimes detective, and fire and explosives investigator.

Der also assumed the role of Chief Deputy with the Maryland State Fire Marshal.

“I have known Chief Der for nearly 20 years, and he has always stood out as a thoughtful, determined, and effective leader,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball stated. “This has remained the same during his tenure as Police Chief during the last four and a half years.”

Ball added, “during his tenure, Chief Der has remained a steadfast leader in helping to move our police department and our community forward. His leadership traits and his ability to build strong bonds with the community made him the right person for the job, and I’m grateful for his service to our community. I wish him the absolute best in his future endeavors.”

According to the county executive’s office, Der was instrumental in adding more authorized positions, recruitment efforts, body-worn camera program, taser program, establishing more security at the Mall in Columbia, cold case successes, expansion of the traffic management division. enhanced the crime analysis divisions, and launching crime and safety dashboards.

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 JT Moodee Lockman

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — A quadruple amputee who is accused of murder in Maryland acted in self-defense, his attorney argued during a hearing Wednesday, according to the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Dayton James Webber, 27, was charged with first- and second-degree murder in connection with the deadly shooting of Bradick Michael Wells, 27, who was found dead in a yard in Charlotte Hall in late March.

Webber was arrested in Charlottesville, Virginia, and extradited to a detention center in Charles County, Maryland. On Wednesday, a judge ordered that he be held without bond.

WJZ has reached out to Webber’s attorney for comment, though he has previously declined to comment on the case.

Witnesses report deadly shooting Wells was found dead after two people flagged down Charles County Sheriff’s deputies and said they witnessed a fatal shooting.

According to charging documents, the witnesses told deputies that they were in the back seat of a car when the driver, who they said was Webber, allegedly shot and killed a passenger during the arguments.

The witnesses said they refused to help remove the body from the car. They reported that they left the scene as Webber fled with the man’s body in the car, charging documents allege.

Wells’ body was found about two hours later.

Quadruple amputee charged with murder

Webber’s case has gained national attention. Videos online show him firing weapons and depict him as a cornhole champion.

Webber is known as a professional cornhole player who competed with the American Cornhole League. Though the league said he has not been active since 2024.

Webber had his arms and legs amputated at a young age after he contracted a bacterial infection that led to sepsis when he was 10 months old, his family said in an ESPN profile.

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 Sheba Turk

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    SANTA MONICA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — One Santa Monica man is proving that age really is just a number. At 93 years old, Salomon “Raghavan” Delgado has had some of the same yoga students for 40 years.

Raghavan said his yoga classes at 24 Hour Fitness are not about exercise. “It’s sana, sana means posture. Most people come to do exercise, which is not recommended,” he said. “No, you come to relax. You come to surrender yourself into your posture and be there with your mind.”

While he can’t offer a foolproof formula for aging and staying fit, he does focus on being stress-free and following a vegetarian diet for the most part, sometimes adding fish.

“But I have a good diet, and I meditate very often. (No) stress, which is very bad for your health,” Raghavan said.

His yoga story begins as a love story. He fell in love with a yoga teacher and followed her to class. Eventually, he became a teacher.

“(It was) the way I felt doing it, and I became terribly flexible, and it was wonderful for me to do that. And then, I started teaching and never stopped (to this) day,” Raghavan said.

Ragahvan doesn’t actually do the poses in class. He wants to make sure he’s paying attention to his students. And for his students, he asks them to pay attention to what they’re doing and stay with their breath. “If you do that, then it’s going to be good,” he said.

Los Angeles may have claimed Raghavan, but he grew up in Ecuador. He said he met Sonja, his wife of 54 years, in LA, and he misses her dearly. She died two years ago.

In 93 years of life, Raghavan has experienced great loss, and even greater love, and he’s used yoga to keep breathing through it all.

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 Joy Benedict

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    COLTON, California (KCAL, KCBS) — It’s a city proud of its patriotism, as the streets of Colton are lined with images of hometown heroes and the Stars and Stripes. But for Tani Robinson, the red, white, and blue at her house has a special meaning.

On a recent afternoon, Robinson had an AT&T technician working at her house, and they both noticed her front yard flagpole had broken and was lying on the ground.

She said she and her husband had a bracket on the home’s exterior for a flag that they put up in the mornings and took down in the evenings. “My husband said, ‘We need a pole in front of the house.'” Robinson said.

Her husband died of cancer before he got a chance, so she installed a flagpole in his honor. “He was patriotic, we both are. Both our fathers served in World War II; he had a brother in Vietnam,” Robinson said.

Over time, the pole weakened and kept falling. But this last time, her flag of honor had its own savior.

“I walked out the door with the AT&T tech, and it was lying on the front walkway with half the pole — it snapped right off,” she said.

That’s when tech Jorge Garcia said he could help. Robinson wasn’t so sure. “He said— ‘I think we can fix that,’ and I thought— ‘yeah right’.”

Garcia had been installing fiber for AT&T when he noticed the fallen pole.

“She was so nice!” he said. “As technicians, we’re in, we’re out, we are going to the back yard on the house, under the house. She pretty much gave me the trust and said, ‘Jorge, you can come in and out whenever you want.'”

So, Garcia submitted her flagpole for a companywide “Act of Kindness.” A few days ago, he and his coworkers poured concrete and gave Old Glory a new home.

“They just did it out of the goodness of their heart,” Robinson 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 Michael Logerwell

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    OTERO COUNTY, Colorado (KRDO) — An Otero County Sheriff’s Office reserve deputy is just beginning the long road to recovery after falling nearly 40 feet down a canal embankment while responding to a vehicle crash, involving four teenagers on March 20.

“When I landed in the canal, it was very clear. I heard a pop,” said Deputy Joe Pentlicki, a member of the agency’s Reserve Posse.

Dep. Pentlicki shattered his pelvis during a rescue effort near Otero County Road 805. Since that night, he’s had two surgeries and is facing a lengthy recovery.

After he and fellow deputies arrived at the scene, Pentlicki says he was looking for the least steep way down into the canal, while Detective Sergeant Tyson Duran was grabbing his medical kit from the car. Pentlicki says his plan was to slide down the canal to get to the injured occupants out of the car.

But that’s not what happened.

“I think my foot hung up on something, and next thing I knew, I was upright. And then, I actually remember doing at least two somersaults before landing in the canal,” Pentlicki said.

Pentlicki has been with the Otero County Sheriff’s Office for years, but not as a full-time deputy. Rather, he’s been a member of the sheriff’s posse since 2021, which is a volunteer position.

That means he rides along to support the other deputies and works security. He says it’s another way to give back to the community.

And he’s already excited to get back to it.

“I won’t stop. Honestly, when you’re – when you’re with that group of people, you are making a difference for others, and that has really always been my motivation in life is making a difference for others,” Pentlicki said.

But now it’s the community’s turn to give back to this officer.

“When I got discharged from the hospital, when they were letting me out on Thursday, I had a walker, but there’s stairs up into my house. The Rocky Ford Police Chief met me at my house to help carry me up the stairs into the house to make sure I could get home. Those things mean a lot,” Pentlicki recalled.

Pentlicki’s family has started a GoFundMe to help supplement the loss of income from being out of work at his day job.

As for the teenagers in the car, Colorado State Patrol, who are investigating the crash, tells KRDO13 three of them sustained moderate injuries, and one sustained serious injuries and needed to be flown to the hospital that night.

Nobody in the vehicle was wearing a seatbelt.

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 Conor McGill

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    LINCOLN, California (KOVR) — At Scott Leaman Elementary School, you can’t miss them.

Wearing bright vests and greeting students with big smiles, a group of fathers is making a big impact on campus. They’re part of Watch D.O.G.S. a national initiative focused on student safety and mentorship.

Leading the effort is program coordinator Tyler Nethaway, who says his motivation is deeply personal.

“I lost a parent very young and I’m recognizing that the positive mentorship I had, has made me successful as a contributor to society,” Nethaway said.

Now, he’s working to provide that same support for students at Scott Leaman Elementary School. The group includes about 50 dads who volunteer their time on campus, serving as extra eyes and ears while also building meaningful connections with students.

Nethaway says their role goes beyond supervision.

“Making sure the campus is safe, teaching lessons like sportsmanship, helping a friend up and saying thank you. Just kind of those things like that I’m seeing a huge benefit,” he said.

The Watch D.O.G.S. program began in 1998 following the Westside Middle School shooting in Arkansas. What started as a local effort has grown into a nationwide movement, now reaching nearly 9,000 schools across the country.

Principal Cinnamon Jonsrud says the dads bring something unique to campus.

“They bring a level of excitement and enthusiasm and connection that is a little bit different than what our staff can bring because they’re family,” Jonsrud said.

For students, the presence of the dads is often a highlight of the day.

“It’s fun getting to know everyone’s dad. It’s really fun and amazing, I love it,” said second grader Ava Grauke.

And for the volunteers, the experience is just as meaningful.

“It’s actually kind of therapy for me. I have a stressful job and coming out here is a benefit to me as well,” Nethaway said.

From high-fives in the cafeteria to helping on the playground, these dads are proving that a simple presence can make a lasting impact.

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 Ryan Loomer

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    BOONVILLE, Missouri (KOMU) — Editor’s Note This story contains graphic allegations that describe physical and sexual abuse. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline is 988 and the national sexual assault hotline is 1-800-656-4673.

The leader of the Mercy and Truth Retreat in Cooper County, who is accused of abusing residents and forcing them to work for him without pay, appeared in court in Cooper County via video call on Tuesday.

Sam B. Shetler, 42, of Boonville, was arrested on March 25 and charged with two counts of trafficking for the purposes of slavery/involuntary servitude/or forced labor and one count of first-degree sodomy or attempted sodomy. Shetler appeared for an arraignment hearing on March 27 and entered a plea of not guilty, according to court records.

In court Tuesday, Shetler told Judge Keith Bail he does not have an attorney because he has not been able to talk to his family or his church. Shetler also refused to fill out a public defender application.

“I would prefer to first talk to my family and my church because I’m still not sure if my church approves of that,” Shetler said, “so if I’m allowed to, I would like to first communicate with my family and my church and make sure I’m not doing something against the church.”

Mercy and Truth is a retreat for Amish and Mennonite community members that Shetler has owned and operated since 2022, according to court documents. A probable cause statement written by a Cooper County Sheriff’s Office detective sergeant describes the retreat as being for individuals who are “morally or mentally disabled and or in need of counseling or therapy services.”

“The retreat was under the control of one individual who took advantage of his position in the Amish Community to control, manipulate, coerce, and force vulnerable people for his own profit in different forms,” Cooper County Sheriff Chris Class said in the Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook post announcing the charges.

Between 2022 and 2026, the Cooper County Sheriff’s Office received numerous phone calls regarding “cult-like” suspicious, abusive, sexual and neglectful behavior from Shetler to his residents at the retreat, the probable cause statement said. Due to cultural differences, several reports were unfounded or unable to be fully investigated, according to the probable cause statement.

The statement also noted that someone explained that he and other young men and boys were forced to work at Shetler’s private businesses and private farms. He said the workers allegedly were not paid for their labor and that the majority of them were not receiving counseling or therapy from Shetler.

Another person said they worked to train Shetler’s horses, worked in the fields, worked at a wood pallet shop or the sawmill and were often “leased out” to “English” people for work; adding that any money paid was given to Shetler only, according to the probable cause statement. He said he went to the retreat to receive counseling and guidance but was never given time with Shetler and instead was forced to work for him, according to the statement.

Witnesses said forms of punishment at the retreat for not taking pills, not working or not obeying Shelter would range from sleeping in the attic during the winter, sitting in the “icehouse,” being tied or chained up, force-fed pills, verbal abuse, being “spanked,” continued forced labor and being forced into the “safe room,” according to the probable cause statement.

The probable cause statement also described an allegation of Shetler having unwanted sexual contact with a girl who was staying at the retreat when she was 13 or 14 years old.

“Through interviews, letters, and investigations, a consistent scheme, plan, and pattern was established,” the statement said. “Sam would mentally manipulate and mentally torture juvenile females, and young women into believing they were ‘demon possessed’ or that ‘evil spirits’ were present in order to ‘control’ them in exchange for self-gratification.”

Shetler is being held at the Cooper County Jail, and his bond was set at $100,000 cash or surety.

His next hearing, a counsel status hearing, is set for 10:30 a.m. on April 7 at the Cooper County Courthouse.

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.