Category: CNN Regional

By Margaret Kavanagh , Bryant Maddrick

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    VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (WTKR) — The Virginia Parole Board denied parole for convicted murderer James King and will not consider him for eligibility again for another three years, the board confirmed with WTKR News 3 Friday morning.

The board’s decision follows efforts from the murder victim’s sister to prevent King — and other repeat violent criminals in the state — from being eligible for parole under a Virginia law regarding age.

King is currently serving two life sentences for assaulting and murdering Lexie Walters back in 2020 at a Virginia Beach Days Inn. It’s not his first murder conviction: He previously served 20 years in jail for violently murdering a woman in Ohio back in 1986.

Although King was recently sentenced for the Virginia Beach murder back in February, he was being considered for the possibility of parole due to his age.

Under Virginia law, an inmate must be at least 65 years old with 5 years served, or 60 with 10 years served, to be considered annually for “geriatric conditional release.” The current law excludes people convicted of Class 1 felonies, but King was found guilty of Class 2 felonies.

King was denied geriatric conditional release and his case was deferred for three years, which the board says is the maximum amount of time.

On Friday morning, the parole board called Lexie’s sister, Marie Jones, to let her know his parole was denied.

“I was overwhelmed with joy. That’s all I could think of was ‘thank you, Lord,'” said Jones.

Jones is now fighting to change Virginia law with legislation called “Lexie’s Law.” It would make it tougher for repeat criminals to be considered for release and do away with geriatric parole, among other changes.

Jones said a draft of Lexie’s Law should be ready for lawmakers to look at as early as Sept. 10.

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By Colter Anstaett , Noah Kim, Maddie Miller

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    WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia (WTKR) — A Gloucester County man is accused of unlawful filming in public restrooms in Colonial Williamsburg, the city’s police department said Monday. Officers are now looking into the extent of his alleged crimes, as they believe he’s unlawfully filmed “thousands of males” and shared the pictures and videos with others online.

George Thomas West, 76, was arrested and charged with 17 counts of unlawful filming of another person and one count of disorderly conduct, according to police.

A citizen told authorities on Aug. 2 they saw West filming people in a public restroom located on the corner of South Henry Street and Duke of Gloucester Street, police say. When officers arrived, a witness alleged they’d seen West filming people in a bathroom before on two separate occasions, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WTKR News 3.

While speaking with West, an officer noticed West had a phone and was deleting photos from it, the complaint states. The witness got upset about West’s alleged attempt to get rid of evidence, the complaint states, and snatched the phone from him.

An officer then took the phone, the complaint goes onto say. With West’s consent, the complaint states, the officer looked at the phone’s camera roll and found two photos showing “mens’ penises from inside the bathroom,” as well as 15 more in the trash folder.

Multiple victims from the August report are still unidentified, police added.

Officers then obtained warrants to search West’s phone and car.

Police say they believe West has unlawfully filmed “thousands of males in public restrooms” — specifically, in the Colonial Williamsburg area. Police further believe he did most of his filming in the Williamsburg area on Saturdays.

West is accused of uploading the pictures and videos he took online to share with others, News 3’s Colter Anstaett confirmed with Nicole Trifone, the city of Williamsburg’s Communications Director.

The unlawful filming allegations against West date back to 1996, police determined after uncovering evidence.

Police say they are trying to identify more victims and will seek additional charges as appropriate.

If you believe you may have been unlawfully filmed in a men’s bathroom in Williamsburg, police encourage you to contact them. You can send an email with “West 825” in the subject line to srobertsjr@williamsburgva.gov to provide information that can help police with their case.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Peninsula Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

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KTVT

By Trevor Sochocki

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    MCKINNEY, Texas (KTVT) — Tonja Moon walked with purpose into the lobby of Golden Grace Assisted Living in McKinney, holding the baby in the crook of her arm.

“Hey everybody,” she cooed to the residents seated on the couches and chairs. “Look what we have.”

As Moon and the other volunteers with the Grand Baby Project passed out the rest of the babies to the memory care patients, some of them caught on.

“Is she a real baby?” a resident asked.

“If you want her to be,” Moon replied.

Strictly speaking, no — the handful of baby dolls the grandparents doted on are not living. But Moon said some of her clients don’t know that.

“We just want to give them the opportunity to have purpose every single day,” Moon explained. “Dementia doll therapy is really just a way for residents to have purpose and connection.”

For the last five years, Moon and her Texas-based nonprofit have been going around the country, giving dolls to memory care units and residents. Though the practice of giving dolls to the elderly is common overseas, it was a foreign concept to Moon when she first heard about it.

She started the project after seeing how her grandma reacted.

“We literally wrapped up this tiny little doll in a nursing home towel,” Moon recalled. “She thought she’d been handed a newborn.”

The project delivered 3,000 baby dolls last year around the world. Moon equates it to pet therapy — she said it gives residents a reason to be healthy and embrace their nurturing instinct.

“Depending on where they are,” said Golden Grace Assisted Living’s Erika Brown. “They take the baby and they love on them, because it reminds them of a time where they held their own baby or their own grandbaby.”

Moon said she’s seen improved outcomes across the board due to the dolls.

“You can see the smiles yourself of how wonderful it really, truly is,” Brown said. “Even the guys, even though you don’t expect them to really get involved, they really go for it.”

The dolls at Golden Grace will stay there for the residents to take care of for the rest of their lives — and Moon will be back in a year to celebrate all the babies’ birthdays.

“Fills your cup,” Moon said. “But man, it breaks my heart every single time — in a good way.”

Please note: 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.

KTVT

By Trevor Sochocki

Click here for updates on this story

    MCKINNEY, Texas (KTVT) — Tonja Moon walked with purpose into the lobby of Golden Grace Assisted Living in McKinney, holding the baby in the crook of her arm.

“Hey everybody,” she cooed to the residents seated on the couches and chairs. “Look what we have.”

As Moon and the other volunteers with the Grand Baby Project passed out the rest of the babies to the memory care patients, some of them caught on.

“Is she a real baby?” a resident asked.

“If you want her to be,” Moon replied.

Strictly speaking, no — the handful of baby dolls the grandparents doted on are not living. But Moon said some of her clients don’t know that.

“We just want to give them the opportunity to have purpose every single day,” Moon explained. “Dementia doll therapy is really just a way for residents to have purpose and connection.”

For the last five years, Moon and her Texas-based nonprofit have been going around the country, giving dolls to memory care units and residents. Though the practice of giving dolls to the elderly is common overseas, it was a foreign concept to Moon when she first heard about it.

She started the project after seeing how her grandma reacted.

“We literally wrapped up this tiny little doll in a nursing home towel,” Moon recalled. “She thought she’d been handed a newborn.”

The project delivered 3,000 baby dolls last year around the world. Moon equates it to pet therapy — she said it gives residents a reason to be healthy and embrace their nurturing instinct.

“Depending on where they are,” said Golden Grace Assisted Living’s Erika Brown. “They take the baby and they love on them, because it reminds them of a time where they held their own baby or their own grandbaby.”

Moon said she’s seen improved outcomes across the board due to the dolls.

“You can see the smiles yourself of how wonderful it really, truly is,” Brown said. “Even the guys, even though you don’t expect them to really get involved, they really go for it.”

The dolls at Golden Grace will stay there for the residents to take care of for the rest of their lives — and Moon will be back in a year to celebrate all the babies’ birthdays.

“Fills your cup,” Moon said. “But man, it breaks my heart every single time — in a good way.”

Please note: 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.

KYW

By Eva Andersen

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    FISHTOWN, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Wrestling chants and sandwich samples collided Sunday in Philadelphia, where the first-ever Hoagie Throwdown paired professional wrestling with a battle of the city’s best sandwiches.

The event, hosted by Chef Eli Kulp and the Delicious City Philly Podcast team at Other Half Brewing in Fishtown, drew hundreds of fans for an afternoon that was equal parts food festival and wrestling show. Wrestlers from Pro Wrestling Entertainment delivered high-energy matches — including one where a competitor entered wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey, prompting loud boos and Eagles chants from the Philly crowd.

“It’s not a grinder, it’s not a po’ boy, it’s not a sub — it’s a hoagie!” David Wesolowski, co-host of Delicious City, said. “It’s a battlefield of delicious sandwiches!”

Alongside the action in the ring, more than a dozen hoagie makers competed for the title of “Delicious City’s Hoagie Champion.” The lineup featured shops such as Angelo’s Pizzeria, Farina Di Vita, Breezy’s Deli, Reuby Indian Taqueria, Càphê Roasters and Upper Darby’s Wilson’s Secret Sauce. Attendees sampled sandwiches and voted for their favorites by dropping coins into ballot boxes.

Vendors embraced the playful spirit. Breezy’s Deli chef Chad Durkin hyped his porchetta sandwich in full wrestling persona as “The Mouth Jumper,” wearing a costume with fake muscles.

“You can try the rest, but now it’s time to try the best!” Durkin yelled to customers. “Come to the ‘House of Porchetta!'”

Wilson’s Secret Sauce offered “The Cena,” named after WWE star John Cena. In this case, “Cena” was also a play on words.

“You haven’t seen it before!” said Steve Wilson, chef and owner.

The most eye-catching entry came from Reuby Indian Taqueria: a hoagie with a hot pink roll filled with tandoori chicken salad and salsa verde chutney.

“I have a Michelin background from New York City, but I wanted to do my own thing, which is Indian-Mexican food,” said Reuben Asaram, chef and owner. “My friends and following that I have know that my food is vibrant – I’m known for bright colors, so I had to bring it here for the Hoagie [Throwdown].”

As for what made the bun pink? It’s still a mystery.

“I can’t say because it’s a secret, but it is all natural,” Asaram said. (He did add that the bread has roasted long hots and pecorino inside.)

General admission tickets included hoagie tastings, a beer from Other Half Brewing, entry to the wrestling matches, meet-and-greets with wrestlers, live entertainment and access to a vendor marketplace. A VIP package offered early entry, exclusive sandwiches and a private lounge.

By day’s end, Shaun “Too Smooth” Smith scored the victory in the ring, while Reuby Indian Taqueria claimed the Hoagie Throwdown’s inaugural winning belt.

As Asaram held the belt alongside two of his teammates, his speech was simple:

“Go Birds!”

Please note: 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.

KYW

By Eva Andersen

Click here for updates on this story

    FISHTOWN, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Wrestling chants and sandwich samples collided Sunday in Philadelphia, where the first-ever Hoagie Throwdown paired professional wrestling with a battle of the city’s best sandwiches.

The event, hosted by Chef Eli Kulp and the Delicious City Philly Podcast team at Other Half Brewing in Fishtown, drew hundreds of fans for an afternoon that was equal parts food festival and wrestling show. Wrestlers from Pro Wrestling Entertainment delivered high-energy matches — including one where a competitor entered wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey, prompting loud boos and Eagles chants from the Philly crowd.

“It’s not a grinder, it’s not a po’ boy, it’s not a sub — it’s a hoagie!” David Wesolowski, co-host of Delicious City, said. “It’s a battlefield of delicious sandwiches!”

Alongside the action in the ring, more than a dozen hoagie makers competed for the title of “Delicious City’s Hoagie Champion.” The lineup featured shops such as Angelo’s Pizzeria, Farina Di Vita, Breezy’s Deli, Reuby Indian Taqueria, Càphê Roasters and Upper Darby’s Wilson’s Secret Sauce. Attendees sampled sandwiches and voted for their favorites by dropping coins into ballot boxes.

Vendors embraced the playful spirit. Breezy’s Deli chef Chad Durkin hyped his porchetta sandwich in full wrestling persona as “The Mouth Jumper,” wearing a costume with fake muscles.

“You can try the rest, but now it’s time to try the best!” Durkin yelled to customers. “Come to the ‘House of Porchetta!'”

Wilson’s Secret Sauce offered “The Cena,” named after WWE star John Cena. In this case, “Cena” was also a play on words.

“You haven’t seen it before!” said Steve Wilson, chef and owner.

The most eye-catching entry came from Reuby Indian Taqueria: a hoagie with a hot pink roll filled with tandoori chicken salad and salsa verde chutney.

“I have a Michelin background from New York City, but I wanted to do my own thing, which is Indian-Mexican food,” said Reuben Asaram, chef and owner. “My friends and following that I have know that my food is vibrant – I’m known for bright colors, so I had to bring it here for the Hoagie [Throwdown].”

As for what made the bun pink? It’s still a mystery.

“I can’t say because it’s a secret, but it is all natural,” Asaram said. (He did add that the bread has roasted long hots and pecorino inside.)

General admission tickets included hoagie tastings, a beer from Other Half Brewing, entry to the wrestling matches, meet-and-greets with wrestlers, live entertainment and access to a vendor marketplace. A VIP package offered early entry, exclusive sandwiches and a private lounge.

By day’s end, Shaun “Too Smooth” Smith scored the victory in the ring, while Reuby Indian Taqueria claimed the Hoagie Throwdown’s inaugural winning belt.

As Asaram held the belt alongside two of his teammates, his speech was simple:

“Go Birds!”

Please note: 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.