Category: CNN Regional

By Adam Bartow

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    CONCORD, New Hampshire (WMTW) — A Maine man accused of mixing THC into ice cream at his shop in Newmarket, New Hampshire has been sentenced to probation and community service.

Marc Flores, 45, pleaded guilty in federal court over the summer to tampering with a consumer product.

Several people got sick after eating the ice cream in March 2023.

Investigators said that in 2022, Flores mixed THC into a batch of his shop’s coffee-Oreo ice cream. A catering company took over the shop that same year and unknowingly served the tampered batch to customers a few months later.

That ice cream was then sold at Roots Local Cafe. Over the course of two days in mid-March 2023, several people reported extremely high heart rates, severe dizziness, and weakness. One person was a young child, and another patient was hospitalized.

Tuesday, a federal judge in Concord, New Hampshire, sentenced Flore to two years of probation and 20 hours of community service. He also has to pay an $11,000 fine.

Flores spoke in court, saying he’s very sorry for the harm he caused.

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By KIVI Staff

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    MALHEUR COUNTY, Idaho (KIVI) — In October, a wildlife technician with Idaho Fish & Game was sent into the Owyhees to initiate a “cause of death investigation” regarding a male mule deer that was collared with a GPS tracker.

When the technician arrived at the deceased buck’s location, she encountered an adult mountain lion and two juveniles near the carcass of the deer.

In what is considered best practice for such encounters, the official did not run away or turn her back from the confrontation but instead shouted at the lion while slowly backing away.

Typically, mountain lions scatter when humans approach such kills, and encounters like this are increasingly rare in the wild.

However, according to an Idaho Fish & Game news release, “mountain lion predation is a leading cause of death in both mule deer and California bighorn sheep.”

Idaho Fish & Game recommends taking the following actions if you encounter a mountain lion in the wild:

Do not run Do not turn your back on the lion, crouch down, or try to hide Remain facing the lion and slowly back away. Leave the animal an escape route Try to appear as large as possible Shout, wave your arms, and throw objects if the lion does not back off

The official’s investigation was just a small part of a larger initiative by Fish & Game to better understand the various factors that contribute to buck survival throughout Idaho.

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By Lindsay Clein

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    THOMASVILLE, North Carolina (WXII) — November is National Veterans and Military Families Month — a time to honor the service and sacrifices of all veterans and their families.

We are introducing you to a very special man. Jim Cain is a World War II veteran who is now 99 years old.

Just recently, he was able to take a trip on the Triad Honor Flight.

WXII’s Lindsay Clein sat down with him as he shared many stories from his time in the Navy.

“I am a World War II veteran,” said Cain. “And, you know, I’m 99 years old — and I’m proud of everything I’ve done.”

At nearly 100 years young, Jim Cain is looking back on close to a century of a life well lived.

“It’s been a good life,” Cain said. “I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.”

At just 18 years old, he decided to voluntarily join the Navy.

“And I served in the South Pacific on a mine sweeper,” said Cain.

For two and a half years, he lived on a ship, sweeping mines.

“I enjoyed some of it,” Cain said. “Some of it I didn’t.”

Enjoyable or not, though, he’s proud of his service and dedication to our country.

“I am very proud of it,” he said. “And the Honor Flight I went on was a great honor for me to do that.”

In October, he was one of the many on a flight full of veterans who got to visit our nation’s capital on the Triad Honor Flight.

“It was great,” he said. “I enjoyed every bit of it. It was a long day — but it was well worth it.”

He was one of only three World War II veterans on the flight.

“It was well worth it and it meant a lot to me to see what I had gone through and to see all the World War II memorials and everything,” he said.

He was genuinely moved by the many military memories.

“It was a wonderful day,” said Cain. “Seeing all that stuff that brought back military memories of me, you know.”

Memories like those captured on the wall, hanging in his home.

“It’s been a long time, “he said, pointing to the photos.

One story he tells is about the time he was ordered to go aboard a Japanese ship to deliver a stack of envelopes.

“He said, ‘I want you to take these envelopes and go aboard that Japanese ship,'” Cain said. “He said, ‘You’ll be okay.’ Of course, I was scared– yes.”

He was told the next day what those envelopes contained.

“They were maps of where the Japanese had anchored mines,” Cain said. “And those ships were gonna sweep their own mines.”

Eighty-some years later, his stories of patriotism and pride still resonate.

“We were there fighting for our country,” he said.

Loyalty and allegiance.

“I love this country.”

Jim remains proud of not only his own service, but also the service of others who continue the legacy of fighting for our flag and our freedom.

“This is a wonderful country we’ve got,” said Cain. “And we were willing to fight for it– so we did.”

WXII will continue to feature veterans like Jim every Tuesday during the month of November.

Veterans Day is Tuesday, Nov. 11.

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By Ed DiOrio

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    EXPORT, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — A former Allegheny County narcotics detective appeared in court this morning in Export.

State police claim Raymond Bonacci intimidated his son, Anthony, into taking testosterone and Adderall to enhance his performance on a high school football team.

Bonacci retired as an Allegheny County District Attorney narcotics detective in 2023.

In 2022, Anthony Bonacci had a background check run on him during his pursuit to become a state police officer. It was during his polygraph that he told troopers he had previously taken testosterone and Adderall.

Anthony told the court Tuesday morning that during his time playing football for Franklin Regional High School, his father, Raymond, intimidated him into taking the substances.

“I felt that if I didn’t do what he wanted, I’d be cut off from my family and that I’d never speak to my mother again,” Anthony said during proceedings.

Anthony said this happened throughout the 2019 high school season.

“I find it ironic that today, 6-7 years after the fact, he has an incredible memory,” said Michael DeRiso, Raymond Bonacci’s defense attorney.

When DeRiso cross-examined Anthony, the now-23-year-old cadet said he didn’t know for certain the injections were testosterone, and that the Adderall was taken by himself before games.

“What [Anthony] said is irrelevant,” Deriso said. “A trooper who went through the academy admittedly lied to his attorney, the district attorney’s office, and lied to a fellow trooper. It was about certain events he alleged took place so that he could get employed. I’m very confident at trial.”

PSP Trooper Jason Kinger, who ran Anthony’s background check, also testified during the preliminary hearing.

He told the court that after the Polygraph, he went to Raymond’s Murrysville residence for an unrecorded interview.

Kinger claimed that when he brought up Anthony’s accusations about Raymond’s involvement with the testosterone and Adderall, the father admitted guilt.

“His face turned red, and he slumped down,” Kinger said during the hearing. “[Raymond] said, ‘I did it.'”

“As much as cadets often try to shade the truth about their drug use being coerced, parents often try to protect their children,” Deriso said. “You have a cadet who already lied to multiple people and law enforcement, that’s who everyone chooses to believe.”

DeRiso is referring to Anthony claiming the case took place in Elizabeth Township.

Anthony told troopers and attorneys originally that he took the substances in Allegheny County. During testimony on Tuesday, Anthony claimed his father threatened him again if his son didn’t say the actions happened in Allegheny County.

“He made threats over the phone, saying, ‘If you don’t say that this happens in Allegheny County, I’d hate to see what happens to you.'”

“It’ll be a lengthy trial,” DeRiso said. “I feel good coming out. I think the testimony is concerning. It’s very concerning. There are a lot of things that come out in trial that are neither relevant nor admissible at a preliminary hearing.”

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By Malcolm Shields

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WPBF) — A South Florida teacher accused of sexual battery of a former student more than eight years ago will avoid additional jail time.

According to court documents in Broward County, Pamela S. Stigger, 42, pleaded no contest on Oct. 20 to two counts of felony battery.

Stigger was found guilty by the court and sentenced to five years’ probation, must pay court costs, submit to a psychosexual evaluation, no contact with the victim, may not apply for a teaching license, no unsupervised contact with minors unless family members and may transfer her probation to Palm Beach County.

Stigger was initially charged with two counts of sexual battery and one count of lewd conduct. Court documents note that the state attorney’s office did not pursue those charges.

Stigger was arrested early on May 11, 2017, after Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputies were notified that a vehicle was stationed in the roadway and obstructing traffic in Tamarac.

When deputies arrived at the scene, Stigger was found in the back seat of the vehicle with the 15-year-old boy partially undressed.

The boy was previously Stigger’s student in an eighth-grade drama class, but on the night of the incident, he told deputies that he was helping Stigger prepare for an upcoming production event.

The victim was in the process of being dropped off at home by Stigger when Stigger stopped the vehicle.

The victim told deputies that he and Stigger engaged in sexual activity in the back of Stigger’s vehicle.

However, Stigger denied any sexual activity with the boy and said the victim was trying to seduce her.

In Florida, a consenting adult is at age 18.

Stigger was a 33-year-old teacher at Forest Glen Middle School in Coral Springs at the time of her arrest.

The Broward County Public Schools District confirmed to WPBF 25 News on Tuesday that Stigger’s employment with the district was terminated on July 1, 2018.

Before her termination, Stigger was placed on leave from March 21, 2018, to June 30, 2018.

WPBF 25 News contacted the attorney representing Stigger for comment and is awaiting a response.

According to Florida Department of Corrections database, Stigger’s probation is being overseen by the circuit office in West Palm Beach.

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By Suzanne Phan

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Some promising news about the future of San Francisco’s Union Square. A local developer has been chosen to reshape the future of Macy’s flagship store. The store has been a staple of the shopping district for than 80 years and had been slated for potential closure.

There are so many reasons people love to come to Union Square around the holidays. Some of it has to do with Macy’s.

“It’s a great anchor of the store,” said Jeanine Elstor, a Bay Area resident. “I especially admire the puppies in the window.”

Last year, Macy’s announced it would close its flagship store in Union Square.

But big news and new hope for positive changes to come.

TMG Partners— a real estate investment and property management firm –has come to an agreement with Macy’s for the future development of its landmark complex.

The firm has done dozens of development deals, historic rehabs, and they have experience dealing with large historic buildings.

We talked to TMG Partners about what they plan to do.

“With a clean sheet of paper, we are going to look what we can do with the building. How can we make it part of the community other than one giant 600-thousand square foot department store,” said Michael Covarrubias, Chairman of TMG Partners.

TMG Partners and Macy’s say they are still in the early stages.

“To have the opportunity for us to work with Macy’s hand in hand to come up with a new solution for the building that includes all the potential opportunities of rent , housing, retail, experiential office. It’s the most exciting project we have,” said Covarrubias.

Macy’s released a statement to ABC7 on Tuesday saying it’s partnership with TMG is “part of Macy’s ongoing strategy to evaluate compelling options for its real estate portfolio.”

Local leaders are hopeful for what this means for San Francisco’s Union Square.

“It’s a good day for our city. We are creating the conditions for success for downtown. This is an example of what is working,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.

“We’re all being waiting for this for long time to understand what the future Macy has stood for 80 years,” said Marisa Rodriguez, President and CEO of Union Square Alliance. “They’re looking at it from a very forward-thinking perspective.”

For shoppers like Jeanine Elster of the Bay Area, new development means new opportunities and a reason to return to Union Square—for visitors and locals alike.

“I hope so. It would be great to continue to have that vitality around here,” said Elstor.

TMG Partners and Macy’s confirmed there is currently no closing date set for the store. Macy’s is going to continue to operate through the end of the year, through the holiday seasons and end of the first quarter.

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By Evan Dean

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    FORT MYERS, Florida (WBBH) — When Hurricane Ian hit in 2022, the Caloosahatchee River flowed inside homes on East Riverside Drive.

Storm surge poured through the Fort Myers neighborhood like an angry stream.

“It’s really intense. It moves everything,” Jon Iglehart said to Gulf Coast News in 2024. “There’s really no stopping wave action and wind.”

Iglehart owns a rental in the neighborhood. Ian washed all sorts of debris onto his property: everything from old family photos to a small coffin.

But of everything he found, one discovery took a little more digging.

“This fence had been pushed down and had a huge pile of debris over it,” Iglehart said on his property. “As we were going through the debris, removing it, under a grandfather clock was this canoe that was kind of pushed into the ground.”

And not just any canoe: a historic one.

A single-log dugout canoe.

“We have no idea where it came from,” Iglehart said. “I come from a family of antiquers. So it’s like, ‘Wow, this is pretty cool. This is awesome. This is quite an object — and it probably has some significance.'”

Last year, Iglehart donated the canoe to the state. It’s been in Tallahassee at the Florida Division of Historical Resources ever since, as the team there works to learn more about it.

Gulf Coast News visited last year to do the same.

Fast forward to now — a year later. After working to clean and preserve the canoe, conservation is complete.

“It’s everyone’s history, right? And so I think that’s important,” Sam Wilford said.

Wilford, the deputy state archaeologist, caught Gulf Coast News up to speed on the progress.

If you thought the mystery of the canoe was fascinating before, it’s even bigger now.

“There’s two things about the canoe that make it very unusual, and the first one is its shape,” Wilford said. “It’s quite small for a canoe, it’s 9 feet long. But it’s also very canoe-like. It looks like a modern shape of a canoe, which is not typical of a dugout canoe, or Native American pre-contact canoe, which looks more like a log.”

Also unusual is the type of wood, which the team uncovered after sending out a sample.

“The University of Georgia tested that. And actually discovered it was made of mahogany. And so, this is the first mahogany canoe that we have in the collection. And in fact, the first mahogany canoe recorded in Florida,” Wilford said.

Almost all historic canoes found in Florida are traced to either the Calusa Indians or the Seminole or Miccosukee tribes, all of whom lived in the state.

But this canoe, researchers wonder, may have had a longer journey to get to Fort Myers.

“We know that mahogany is native to South Florida. But it’s also native to the Caribbean,” Wilford said. “And because of that form, looking at the form and looking at examples that we see in the Caribbean, it could be from the Caribbean. That’s a possibility.”

If it is, how it got to Fort Myers could be the biggest mystery yet.

It’s one Wilford and his team may never be able to solve for certain.

For now, the work to uncover its origins will continue.

“Our collection is the public’s collection. We get it out there to learn and to teach is our main mission,” Wilford said. “I think that’s why people are passionate, clearly passionate about things like canoes and other objects that we have in our collection. It’s everyone’s shared collective history.”

Researchers have also tested the age of the wood, which came back to the 1300s or 1400s. That raises even more questions, because that era pre-dates some of the tools used on the canoe.

There is a 3D image of the canoe online for you to explore.

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