Category: CNN Regional

By Frankie McLister

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    GULL LAKE, Minnesota (WCCO) — A man who has fought to use his private chopper up in cabin country has been grounded. A judge sided with the city, ruling he can’t use his cabin as a helipad, but he’s not giving up.

“I’ve been wronged,” Doug Schieffer, a concrete company CEO, said in a 2024 interview.

Schieffer says he has concerns with the city of East Gull Lake, Minnesota.

“I spend a lot of money and designed this whole property to get this hangar built,” he said.

His lakefront property isn’t his permanent address.

“I haven’t flown in there since probably September of last year. October, maybe,” Schieffer added.

When he does, he normally takes his chopper, which some neighbors don’t appreciate, with it breaking the peace and quiet of cabin country.

Schieffer argues the water in front of his property is a public seaplane base. The Minnesota Department of Transportation doesn’t agree.

In a 2024 court filing, the city said he’d been using his property “for airport activity,” which isn’t permitted. Shieffer claimed he does “not violate the city code” during his visits. He even created a website to make his case to the public.

“They told me I was going to be able to do this,” said Schieffer.

On March 31, a Cass County judge ordered Schieffer to immediately cease any use of his property as an airport.

“For all intents and purposes, they’ve screwed me a few different times and I feel very strongly about that,” Schieffer told WCCO.

An attorney for East Gull Lake said in a statement that it is “very pleased” with the court’s decision.

“Throughout the enforcement process, the City has taken a close look at the actions of Mr. Schieffer and compared them to what is or is not allowed under the City’s ordinances. The Court recognized the City correctly interpreted its ordinances. Additionally, the voluminous evidence from the neighbors and MnDOT supported the City’s request for injunctive relief. The City is hopeful Mr. Schieffer will comply with the Court’s Order,” the statement continued.

“I get that it’s a first-world problem; it’s not that big a deal whether I win or lose the actual ability to use my helicopter at my cabin,” said Schieffer. “This is about the principle of how this is handed from the city. It’s about property rights.”

“I want to do this in the safest, least intrusive manner possible,” Schieffer said when asked what outcome he is looking for.

The city attorney says they’re not surprised Schieffer intends to appeal. Schieffer previously stated at city council meetings that he would fight all the way to the Supreme Court.

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 Derek James

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — April is Autism Acceptance Month, and businesses across the Twin Cities are opening doors for workers with autism through partnerships with a college program providing specialized education and training.

Inside Lunds & Byerlys, you’ll hear the familiar beeps of scanned groceries, and feel a warm greeting from cashiers.

Graham Wagner and Ann Meehan are both graduates of Minnesota Independence College and Community, or MICC, where job training meets independence.

For operations manager Nina Erman, what stands out isn’t difference — it’s dependability.

“They are fantastic. Graham is the heart and soul of the store. He’s never in a bad mood. He’s always smiling,” Erman said. “Ann has this thirst for curiosity about everything we do in the store.”

Adults with autism face steep barriers to employment even as they bring strengths like focus, reliability and attention to details. MICC aims to close the gap not by placing students in jobs, but by preparing them to earn them.

“Our individuals are finding their own jobs,” said Melissa Hudson, MICC’s director of programs. “We’re there for that little extra support and to really just help and guide them and support them through that process.”

On the floor, that partnership translates into confidence.

“This allows me to just be social with customers and employees and people I come across with here on a daily basis,” Wagner said.

Meehan didn’t always imagine herself in this role.

“I never thought that I would be a cashier because I have a hard time counting change. But these registers help,” Meehan said. “I like meeting all the new customers and then just seeing everyone’s faces.”

Today, she’s not only working — she’s living independently.

“Now I can live on my own, and then I can go places on my own without my parents,” she said.

They both say employers may be underestimating what neurodivergent workers bring.

“People with autism or learning disabilities can be some of the hardest-working people. We can be on time, we can have a great work ethic,” Wagner said.

“Just because we have a disability, it doesn’t mean that we can’t do anything. We can do anything that we try,” Meehan said.

Ninety-nine percent of MICC participants are employed by graduation.

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 Mya Constantino

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    KEARNS, Utah (KSTU) — Christian Timothy is one of two siblings who survived a horrific murder-suicide that claimed the life of their mother, Kaylene Allred.

Now recovering from gunshot wounds, he is opening up about his path toward healing and the emotional weight he carries. “The people who I’m staying with are constantly like, ‘You need to rest, you need to take it easy,’ and I can’t,” Christian said. “I have to be doing something to keep my mind busy… It’s gonna be a long road.”

That long road began with a phone call. Christian was speaking with his friend Tricia Cruikshank when chaos erupted inside his home in Kearns.

“I was like, ‘What’s going on? What happened?” Tricia recalled. “He’s like, ‘He shot me, he shot me.’”

Christian says his stepdad, 64-year-old Floyd Allred, came up behind him and opened fire. “It didn’t dawn on me until probably the second or third bullet hit me that he was shooting at me,” Christian said. “At that point, it was just about taking cover and getting him away from my family.”

Both Christian and his sister, Brittany, were shot but managed to escape that night. Investigators say Floyd Allred killed 61-year-old Kaylene Allred before taking his own life.

Christian revealed that he had long feared such an outcome. “The sad truth is, for the past year I’ve feared that something like this was coming,” he said, explaining that his stepdad struggled with addiction and mental health. “I even expressed my concern to my dad that he was losing it… His addiction took over.”

As Christian heals from his physical injuries and prepares funeral services, he admits grief comes in waves. “It hasn’t fully set in yet,” Christian said. “There are moments where I think, ‘Oh I can ask my mom, oh I want to call my mom… and I can’t.’ It even feels that way with my dad, too. No matter how mad I am over the situation, he was still my dad.”

Friends, neighbors, and supporters are rallying behind the siblings. A fundraiser will be held at Liquid Joe’s in Salt Lake City on April 26 at 1:00 p.m., with all proceeds going toward mental health awareness and victims of domestic violence.

A GoFundMe has also been launched for anyone wishing to help: Support Brittany & Christian After Shooting

Christian says his mother was a warrior in life. “She went through so much in her life that she didn’t deserve, and she fought so hard for us kids,” he said. “We tried to save her, and she tried to save us… it cost her a life.”

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 Scott McKane

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    BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah (KSTU) — It was a secret they kept even from their family members.

A pair of Box Elder County siblings in their 70s is about to achieve a milestone no one saw coming.

Stephen Ball and his sister, Bonnie Jean Ashby, have always been close, said Bonnie Jean as she showed off old photos of the two.

“I’m a baby, like I say, we’re 15 months apart in age,” she said.

Later this month, Stephen, who is 77, and Bobbie Jean, now 76, will don caps and gowns and receive college degrees from Utah State University.

It’s a graduation that’s more than four decades in the making.

Right out of high school, Bonnie Jean had two scholarships to Utah State, but got married and became a full-time mom. She first tried to resume college in the early 1980s, but it was difficult.

“I had five kids and a foster daughter at the time,” she said.

After completing a few classes, Bonnie Jean had twins, and a couple more decades passed by. It wasn’t until earlier this year that she became determined to enroll again and learned she only needed one more credit hour. That’s when a university advisor stepped in.

“And he says, ‘You know what? Just let her graduate with what she has.’ So I had enough credits 40 years ago, it just never happened,” Bonnie Jean explained. “So I told my brother, guess what? I’m graduating! And he’s like, ‘I wonder if I can graduate?’”

In a friendly bit of sibling rivalry, Stephen decided to check into his own credit allocation and wound up with a similar, pleasant surprise.

After years of working, raising his family and taking occasional classes, Stephen learned he also had enough credits for an associate’s degree.

“So they turned it into the advancement committee, and they said, sure,” Stephen recalled. “I didn’t even have to take another class.”

The brother and sister will walk together at the end of this month to receive their degrees. All of it came as a pleasant surprise to their families, which, between them, number nearly 90 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Stephen said the family reaction was super positive, and Bonnie knows it’ll be a perfect ending to a very long journey.

“…we just love each other, and I’m excited we get to do this together,” said Bonnie.

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 Sahana Patel

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    BOISE BENCH, Idaho (KIVI) — Feral rabbits are causing chaos and property damage for residents living on the Boise Bench.

Data from the Idaho Humane Society shows a heat map of stray rabbit intake from 2018 through March 2026. The highest concentration is on the Boise Bench.

“They ate my shrub,” Melody Haile, a Boise Bench neighbor, said. “It’s a problem. I don’t know what can be done.”

What started as pet rabbits released into the area has turned into an overpopulation issue, as the animals breed quickly. Neighbors say they have been dealing with the frustrations for years.

“They’re really, really taking over now,” added Haile.

Haile has lived in her Boise Bench neighborhood for over 16 years. She said the rabbits started burrowing underneath her house and right next to the foundation more than six years ago, leaving behind large holes.

“Now, we routinely walk the house and make sure they’re not digging at the house,” Haile said.

The damage has spread to her front yard, where bunnies have been digging under a tree. Just the other day, when Haile walked outside to scare the bunnies away, they started tackling each other and chewing on her macrame chair.

“It’s been a little bit frustrating. I don’t know how to make it stop. Probably going to put the chair away or throw it away,” Haile said.

Kristine Schellhaas with the Humane Society said spring weather and the Easter holiday could lead to even more rabbits.

“They are really great gifts when in chocolate form, so not necessarily an animal you want to get. We do see an uptick of rabbit surrenders,” Schellhaas said.

Haile said she has already tried using repellent to keep the rabbits away.

“I’ve sprinkled it in the areas where they were actively digging. I’ve kind of tried to create a perimeter. It’s extremely costly to keep buying that and just putting it down every time the grass gets wet,” Haile said.

Schellhaas said the best thing neighbors can do is focus on long-term deterrents to keep the rabbits out of their yards.

“There are sprinklers that can go off automatically, you can build a little fence up,” Schellhaas said. “Even if you have an HOA that doesn’t allow you to have a specific fence. Those wire ones tend to be decorative and can help to keep the rabbits out.”

Haile said she also hopes her neighbors stop feeding the rabbits.

“Let nature take its course— if you truly want to be kind. Don’t promote the breeding of the rabbits. It’s making the problem worse,” Haile said.

Instead of letting a pet rabbit loose, the Humane Society asks people to responsibly surrender their pets at the shelter or reconsider whether they are ready to house a rabbit before making the long-term commitment.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KIVI 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 Katrina Markel

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    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Students at Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs are offering discounted car maintenance to the community through the school’s TradeWorks program.

TradeWorks instructor, Dean Giese, said the automotive students are ready to put what they have learned in class into action.

“Change the oil, check the tires, we can rotate the tires,” Giese said, describing just some of what they do.

The career exploration program allows students to experience various trades, including construction, electrical work, and plumbing. Sophomores Alayna Myer and Charley Sharp say the skills learned are also everyday life skills.

“If you wanted to like plumb something and it’s too expensive you can do it yourself,” Sharp said.

Giese said getting more young women, such as Sharp and Myer, into professions that used to be male-dominated is important.

“It makes me wanna show more girls that they can do this so that they don’t have to rely on someone,” Myer said. “And, it makes me feel smart.”

Giese reminds neighbors that they will have ninth and 10th graders working on their cars, but he is there to make sure things are done right.

“This vehicle is gonna take somebody up and down the road today,” Giese said, while standing in front of an SUV in his classroom. “So we have to make sure that it’s road worthy. I tell the students I’m not doubting their ability, I’m just double-checking.”

There are different fees for different services, and neighbors who are interested can email Giese: Dgiese@CBCSD.org

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMTV 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 Stephanie Ballesteros, Joe Holden, Joe Brandt, Sean Tallant

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    New Jersey (KYW) — More than 30 years later, a suspect has been linked through DNA evidence to the previously unsolved killings of two young women in Camden County, New Jersey, in the 1990s.

Francis Schooley is believed to have killed 24-year-old Marebeth Welsh and 16-year-old Jennifer Persia, Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay announced in a news conference.

The work to find a suspect in Welsh’s and Persia’s killings took years and was only possible thanks to investigative techniques that utilized the DNA evidence found at each crime scene and carefully maintained over the years.

Investigators believe Schooley killed Welsh on Nov. 14, 1993, at a home where she was living in Woodlynne, and later dumped her body on Jackson Street in the city of Camden. Almost five months later, on April 4, 1994, Persia was found stabbed to death in her home in Magnolia.

Schooley died by suicide in 2000. He was 39 years old at the time, according to MacAulay’s office. Investigators who spoke at the news conference say the evidence they have is strong enough that, were he alive today, Schooley would be charged in both murder cases.

“We recognize that identifying Schooley as responsible for the deaths of Jennifer and Marebeth cannot restore these young women to their families, who have endured the profound loss of their loved one for more than 30 years,” MacAulay said. “However, we hope this development offers a measure of justice as well as some comfort to their families.”

In January 2024, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office created a full-time Homicide Cold Case Unit, with investigators finding cases that can make use of recent advances in DNA testing and genetic genealogy.

Analysis by the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in August 2025 found that spermatozoa and blood found on Welsh’s clothes, and blood found at the scene of Persia’s murder, matched the same DNA profile belonging to an unknown male, later discovered to be Schooley.

A parent and a sibling of Schooley submitted DNA samples that were then analyzed and found to closely resemble the DNA found at both crime scenes, an indicator that the unknown male was Schooley.

Schooley also had a connection to the suspects, detectives learned: he had performed construction work for Persia’s stepfather and at an autoshop the stepfather owned. He was also a part-owner of a race car sponsored by the auto shop.

Additionally, one of Schooley’s siblings was shown a photo of Welsh and said she had been seen with Schooley in the past, officials 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 Joshua Moton

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    IBERIA PARISH, Louisiana (KATC) — The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office held a news conference Wednesday to update the community on Todd Landry and the crash at the Louisiana Lao New Year Festival that injured nearly 20 people. Romero outlined the charges Landry is facing, the condition of the victims, and his bond, which was set at $247,500.

“He was booked into the Iberia Parish Jail on the following counts: DWI, 18 counts of first-degree negligent injury, careless operation, and an open container violation,” Romero said.

The sheriff also updated the community on the victims’ conditions, confirming that three remain in critical condition while others have been treated or transferred to additional facilities.

“This was a tragic event, in which an individual decided to operate his vehicle while intoxicated, drive in a reckless manner and strike multiple pedestrians,” Romero added.

Romero said investigators have found no evidence to suggest the crash was intentional.

“At this point in our investigation we have no evidence to support this as being a hate crime or a terrorist act,” he said.

Following the news conference, KATC reviewed court records for Landry and found no attorney listed for him. Efforts to speak with individuals connected to him at a listed property were unsuccessful, as we were asked reporters to leave.

The investigation is ongoing and records show that Landry remains behind bars as the investigation continues.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KATC 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 Noel Brennan

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    MARENGO, Illinois (WBBM) — From flood victim to star of the show; one horse in McHenry County is having one heck of a week after dozens of rescuers saved his life over the weekend.

About 45 people were involved in the horse’s rescue on Friday, who was suffering from significant hypothermia after he was pulled out of the water.

On Wednesday, he was munching hay and enjoying life after being reunited with his owner, Ashley Beaulieu, who was beyond grateful to have Troy back home.

“He beat hypothermia, so that’s the most important part,” she said.

Troy has come a long way since this past weekend.

“I think that day he was so close to giving up so many times, but he pulled through,” Beaulieu said of the day she nearly lost Troy.

As storms passed through on Friday, Coon Creek overflowed its banks. Troy, a 20-year-old Appaloosa, was swept away in the floodwaters.

“With the storms, everything started to flood,” Beaulieu said. “The water was, like, very mucky. It was deep and it had a really strong current.”

Firefighters found him stranded in chest-deep cold water about 200 yards from the nearest shore.

“It’s just really hard to see something suffering and your instinct is to want to help it, and you can’t just jump in and help him,” Beaulieu said.

Beaulieu couldn’t jump in, but rescue teams did, along with a local veterinarian, using a boat to reach troy. The vet, worried about severe hypothermia, got to work right away.

“He’s a big horse. I didn’t know whether or not he swallowed water. I mean, he went down the river. He didn’t walk to the other side of there, right?” said Dr. Nicky Wessel, with Cutting Edge Equine Veterinary Services. “I took a bunch of hot water over, a bunch of medication, a bunch of hay in order to keep him quiet and calm and assess how he was doing.”

Rescuers built a raft system to safely move Troy across the flooded creek. From the water, it was straight to the animal hospital, where he stayed until he went back home on Wednesday.

“We had everybody here trying to help Troy,” Beaulieu said.

Wessel said Troy looks great and he certainly smells better than he did when she met him in mucky water over the weekend. She also said Troy is one tough horse.

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 Raquel Ciampi, Marcie Cipriani

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — It is now official: The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a nine-year contract with 19-year-old rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin.

The deal announced Wednesday is worth $140 million, according to The Associated Press, which makes it the largest in Pirates history. It reportedly includes escalators that could raise the total value to $150 million.

“To be able to add Konnor into this team right now could not come at a more important and a better-timed sense of urgency, and I hope that comes across also as a commitment from this organization and from me, not only to the team but to the city of Pittsburgh, to the fans, to reflect how serious I am and we are about building and sustaining a winning team here in Pittsburgh. The fans deserve it,” Pirates owner Bob Nutting said.

A first-round draft pick in 2024, Griffin was called up Friday for his major league debut at PNC Park. He has a double, three RBIs and two runs scored in five games with the Pirates.

“You all took a chance on me two years ago, and I’ve felt nothing but support and love through this whole process, so I’m super excited to be here for nine years,” Griffin said. “This is where we’re going to call home.”

Griffin’s contract extension will take him through the 2034 season with the Pirates.

“I’m pumped to go compete. The goal is to win a World Series, and I think we’ve got a great clubhouse to go do that, and I’m pumped to be part of it,” he said. “Can’t wait to continue to get better as a player and just continue to grow as a person as well.”

Pirates fans headed into PNC Park hours after the announcement said the long-term deal brings them hope.

“I love Konnor Griffin. I think he’s awesome,” said Beth Cook, who traveled to the North Shore from Butler. “I think he has such great character. And he’s so grown up for his age. I think he’s really going to be awesome.”

Fans showed some rarely seen love for the Pirates’ ownership, too.

“I think it’s a good move by Bob Nutting. I’m glad he’s finally doing something to appease the Pirate fans,” said Dan Wolfe from Gibsonia.

His brother Bob Wolfe from Bloomfield agreed. “Maybe Nutting’s finally coming around,” he 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.