Minneapolis nominates 3 sites at the center of city’s Black community to National Register of Historic Places

CNN Newsource on September 19, 2025

By Aki Nace

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    MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (WCCO) — Minneapolis officials say they are working to nominate three sites at the heart of the city’s Black community to the National Register of Historic Places.

The city is nominating the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center and the former home of civil rights advocate Harry Davis, Sr.

The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is the oldest Black-owned newspaper in Minnesota. It was founded in 1934 as the Minneapolis Spokesman and the St. Paul Recorder, which combined into a single publication in 2000. It remains one of the longest continuously operated family-owned Black newspapers in the country.

The Phyllis Wheatley Community Center has been providing community programs and services for 100 years in north Minneapolis. It opened in 1924 when young Black women who were barred from the dorms at the University of Minnesota raised funds to open a settlement house.

“This nomination is not only a recognition of our rich history, but also a testament to the resilience and impact of the community we serve,” said Valerie Stevenson, the center’s interim executive director.

Davis’ home in the city’s Central neighborhood is the last site. Davis was born in 1923 and was a successful amateur boxing coach, serving on the U.S. Olympic boxing committee. He became a member of the school board in 1969 and was the city’s first Black mayoral candidate.

Registering the sites opens up opportunities for grants and tax credits. The city says it will hire third-party consultants to officially nominate the three locations.

Other sites on the register in Minneapolis include the Pillsbury Mill, Fort Snelling, the Pillsbury A Mill and the Washburn A Mill Complex.

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Bodies of missing Asheville man and friend recovered in Colorado

CNN Newsource on September 19, 2025

By Rian Stockett

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — An Asheville man and his friend who went missing during a hunting trip in Colorado have been found dead, according to state officials.

Conejos County Emergency Management confirmed they found the bodies of Asheville resident Andrew Porter and his friend Ian Stasko on Sept. 18, 2025.

The Conejos County Sheriff’s Office began searching for them on Saturday, Sept. 13, after Porter and Stasko failed to check in with loved ones at a predetermined time during an elk hunting trip west of Trujillo Meadows Reservoir, which is located near the Colorado–New Mexico border.

Although a cause of death has not been released, an official said the deaths could be weather-related.

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Residents left in the dark about holes dug in Shreveport neighborhoods

CNN Newsource on September 19, 2025

By Web Staff

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    SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — Wednesday night, KTBS News reported on mysterious holes appearing in Shreveport neighborhoods — dug without warning and without notice to the residents who live there. Today, KTBS followed up after hearing from homeowners directly impacted.

Retired engineer and Caddo Parish Commissioner Roy Burrell says he first noticed the holes while walking his own neighborhood. At first, he thought it might be telecommunications or another type of utility work — especially after spotting rolls of cable nearby. Contractors later confirmed they were burying broadband lines.

“It was a pretty neat hole,” Burrell explained. “They weren’t trenching across lawns, but they did leave dirt piles behind. They replaced the sod, but right now, it’s dead patches of grass.”

For residents who pride themselves on maintaining their lawns, the bigger frustration is not the mess, but the lack of communication, especially for those living off Lakeway Drive in Shreveport.

“No one in our neighborhood received any notice this was happening. Even the garbage company tells you when they’re changing pickup days,” Burrell said .

Brown patches remain in yards where digging occurred, leaving homeowners with the task of cleanup. The work is part of broadband expansion projects, but Burrell says public officials — and the people they serve — deserve to be notified in advance. Barrow adds the eyesore is the price of progress. He just wants better communications from cable installers.

However, the issues echo other recent concerns, including nearby gas exploration projects where neighbors say they also weren’t informed until after construction began.

KTBS is committed to getting answers. We’ve reached out to AT&T and contractors performing the work to ask why notices weren’t given and what steps will be taken to repair lawns permanently.

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Daughter and mother plead not guilty in beating of special needs woman in Wahiawa

CNN Newsource on September 19, 2025

By Jeremiah Estrada

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — A woman and her mother pleaded not guilty on Thursday to the assault of a special needs woman off campus near Leilehua High School in April that circulated online.

Jasmine Keola, 18, and her mother Anela Vierra, 44, pleaded not guilty in Oahu First Circuit Court on Sept. 18 in connection to the beating of 21-year-old Carly Ng, a former Leilehua High School student. The bullying that took place on April 17, 2025 spread online on May 21 which showed a group of students attacking Ng.

Keola asked for supervised release or lower bail, but Judge Ron Johnson declined her request, citing the risk of retaliation.

Judge Johnsonson addressed Vierra saying, “It is very significant that the person who is supposed to present an example and be a leader in the family and set the right example orchestrated this against a special needs person.”

Keola was charged for kidnapping, third-degree assault, fourth-degree attempted theft and two counts of fourth-degree theft. Vierra was charged for second-degree attempted theft, third-degree extortion and fourth-degree attempted theft.

Their jury trial is scheduled for Nov. 17, 2025 with separate judges and pre-trial motions are due on Oct. 20.

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2 adults in storage unit case now booked in jail

CNN Newsource on September 19, 2025

By Adam Rife

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — The two adults that were arrested Tuesday for child abuse and neglect have been booked in the Milwaukee County Jail.

Milwaukee police now confirm that family was unhoused when authorities found six children locked in a storage unit.

A national expert told us it’s not uncommon for people to live in storage units as they cope with a lack of housing.

Donald Whitehead is the executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. He blamed a housing crisis, saying, “It’s a dire situation. And we have to do better as a country.”

Whitehead said data show there are more evictions now than during COVID. “The number one cause, take everything else aside, is the lack of affordable housing.”

He said federal guidelines recommend people spend 30% of their income on housing.

But that’s not possible for everyone. “So, people have to rely on whatever’s available. Sometimes that’s a vehicle, sometimes that’s a tent, unfortunately, sometimes that’s even a storage unit,” Whitehead said.

There is not yet confirmation the Milwaukee family was living in the storage unit.

But after the arrests, a woman who lived near the facility told us she saw the family there for months, saying Tuesday, “They run around in the back. One day I saw them walking, the whole family.”

Here’s a comparison of costs:

The cheapest apartment we found in Milwaukee is 200 square feet and goes for $465 a month. A 200 square foot storage unit at the location where the children were found costs $126 a month.

A growing trend of videos online shows how people do it.

In one video, a man says, “I live in a storage unit because it’s cheap in comparison to an apartment.”

In another, a commenter says, “Now I feel, lowkey, he has a solution to homelessness.”

With both adults currently in custody, it’s unclear who is caring for the six children that were found in the storage unit.

On top of the child abuse and neglect concerns, it’s not legal to live in a storage unit.

But Whitehead said the housing crisis is not solved by putting people who are already struggling through the court system. “Once that person leaves that setting, they are still homeless. And you’ve made the journey out of homelessness just that much tougher.”

We asked the District Attorney’s office several questions about whether a charging decision could be impacted by the family being unhoused.

They said they could not comment on the ongoing case.

But a charging decision is expected to be made Friday.

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Chinese national accused of smuggling pathogens into Michigan enters not guilty plea

CNN Newsource on September 19, 2025

By Elaine Rojas-Castillo

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    DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) — On Thursday, one of the Chinese nationals charged with allegedly trying to smuggle dangerous pathogens into the country appeared before a judge in federal court.

Yunqing Jian, 33, appeared alongside her private counsel as her charges were read out.

The postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, along with her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, 34, faces charges of conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements and visa fraud. Jian entered a plea of not guilty after Judge David R. Grand explained the speedy trial process, including how this gives prosecutors time to build their case and show probable cause that she committed the crime.

Linda Wan, a member of Code Pink, a feminist organization, sat in the gallery to show support for Jian.

“We just realized that something sounded fishy. It didn’t sound right that such wild charges were being leveled,” said Wan.

While the group originally planned to protest on the steps of the courthouse, lawyers for Jian shared her concern about attracting unwanted attention and asked them to support her quietly instead. Members of the grassroots organization say they felt compelled to speak out over what they call the unfair targeting of foreign scholars.

“It was no longer a far, far away idea or an abstract idea. It was being waged right on our college campus. So, we felt it was our duty to raise attention to this,” said Wan. “We look at this case as a political case that government authorities are using this as an opportunity to create sensationalist headlines as part of the demonization of China.”

The pathogen at the center of the case, Fusarium graminerum, is a noxious fungus known to cause “head blight,” a disease that impacts barley, rice, wheat and maize and causes economic losses worth billions of dollars each year.

CBS News Detroit attempted to speak with Jian’s attorneys, who wouldn’t comment.

Jian will remain in custody until her next court date, which is yet to be determined.

Earlier this month, a Chinese research student, who was also accused of smuggling biological materials, was sentenced to time served and will return to China.

Chengxuan Han, 28, of the People’s Republic of China, was sentenced after federal investigators alleged she sent four packages to the U.S. from China containing concealed biological material in 2024 and 2025. Those packages were allegedly addressed to people associated with a University of Michigan laboratory.

Han was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after arriving on a J1 visa on June 8. While officers inspected Han, she reportedly lied to authorities about the packages and the biological materials she had allegedly previously sent to the U.S.

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Police release video of dog being rescued from house fire in Aurora, Illinois

CNN Newsource on September 18, 2025

By Jeramie Bizzle

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    AURORA, Illinois (WBBM) — Aurora police released video on Monday of a dog being rescued during a house fire in the western suburb last week.

On Thursday, Sept. 11, just before 1 p.m., Aurora police and fire crews responded to the fire in the 2000 block of Whitehall Court, where flames were coming from the rear of the home.

Two officers entered the home after forcing entry to search for occupants. During their search, one of the officers found and safely rescued a dog named Oakley.

No one else was inside the home at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

Preliminary investigation into the fire indicated that it originated in the attic. Officials said there were no signs of foul play.

The home remains habitable, but officials said the homeowners were advised to stay elsewhere as a temporary precaution.

The owners said they’re forever grateful to the officers for saving their dog.

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Bellwood homeowner who helped police catch porch pirate upset that suspect is out

CNN Newsource on September 18, 2025

By Marissa Sulek

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A west suburban homeowner helped police capture a porch pirate after using fake packages to lure him and confronted the suspect with a gun.

The homeowner, however, said he doesn’t believe he’ll see justice after learning that the suspect was released until his court appearance.

The man seen on Ring camera running out of the front door in his boxers and a gun behind his back is Jaleel Anthony.

“I just grabbed my firearm, because I am legal to carry and I just buckled out of the house,” Anthony said.

He was going after the man he said was stealing packages from his mom’s Bellwood home and countless others across the western suburbs. In order to catch the thief, his mom put out a stack of fake packages last week in hopes he’d fall for it, and he did.

Some said that he went too far in coming out with a gun.

“Like I said, it had nothing to do with the package that I brought out a gun. I brought out a gun because you came onto my property,” he said.

Bellwood police arrived at the scene a short time later and arrested the porch pirate. Anthony said 30 packages from cities and the west suburbs were found in the suspect’s vehicle.

Bellwood police identified the man as 27-year-old Joseph Davenport.

When Anthony posted his video to social media, he said videos of Davenport came pouring in from people across the area, dealing with the same problem and the same man.

Anthony said the porch pirate was the same guy from the story that CBS News Chicago covered last November, when he stole a package in Oak Forest. This time, Bellwood charged him with multiple theft misdemeanors. He was cited and released while he waits for a court appearance.

His release did not sit well with Anthony.

“I truly 100% believe he is doing the same thing. I believe he is doing it because the laws in Cook County protect criminals and not the working-hard citizens who get up every day and go to work,” he said.

At this point, he says he doesn’t know if he or anyone else who fell victim to Davenport will see justice.

The Better Business Bureau does not advise people to confront thieves with guns. Instead, work to prevent this from happening by scheduling packages, sending them to a workplace, or having them delivered to a neighbor.

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Locals share concerns after Lake Okeechobee ranked dirtiest in the US

CNN Newsource on September 18, 2025

By Caleb Califano

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    FLORIDA (WPBF) — A new study has ranked Lake Okeechobee, Florida’s largest freshwater lake, as the dirtiest lake in the country. The news comes as little surprise to those who live and fish there.

Local fisherman Rob Alfano, who has spent decades on the water, said he was disappointed but not shocked when he heard the news.

“Coincidentally, the best lake was Lake Superior, and I was just at Lake Superior, looked down at the water, and I kind of took a glass and drank it. It was so beautiful. Not the case here,” Alfano said.

The ranking comes from Lake.com, a vacation rental website that evaluated 100 of the nation’s largest lakes using recent chemical data. Researchers cited high levels of detectable lead and phosphorus in the lake.

Alfano said the lake’s condition has worsened dramatically over the years.

“It’s a completely different lake,” he said. “There’s an area called the Pass where you go through that used to be full of lily pads and pepper grass, all native grass and crystal clear and in good shape. Now it’s just a big bowl.”

He added that the perception of a dirty lake doesn’t just impact the water.

“The people up north read it, and they don’t want to come down. They don’t want to book guide trips,” Alfano said.

As for the cause, Alfano believes the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s chemical spraying of vegetation contributes to the problem by killing plants and creating muck at the lake’s bottom.

“Where does all that go when it’s dead to the bottom? So we have tons of dead vegetation building up on the bottom of the lake, and where areas used to have nice, clear bottom, you stick your rod in and you’re going through a foot and a half of muck,” he said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District both say they are aware of the study’s findings.

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Homeless man accused of inappropriately touching 15-year-old girl walking to school

CNN Newsource on September 18, 2025

By Vanessa Laurent

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    LAKE WORTH BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — A 15-year-old girl’s report of inappropriate contact while walking to school has led to the arrest of a homeless man in Palm Beach County.

The victim informed a school police officer that she had been approached and touched inappropriately by an unknown man.

The suspect had previously approached the girl and her mother while they waited for a bus after shopping. According to the mother, the man made inappropriate comments and touched himself over his clothing.

After reporting the incident, the girl helped the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office identify the man by taking photos and videos. He was later confirmed to be James Whidby. He was arrested and charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation.

The girl is now taking a different route to school, and the investigation continues.

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