Category: CNN Regional

By Cameron Polom

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — A beloved busser at a central Phoenix Denny’s is celebrating two major milestones: his birthday and 48 years on the job.

Barney Mullen was hired in the late 1970s and has become a fixture of the restaurant. Coworkers and customers know him for his perfect attendance, tireless work ethic and warm personality.

Mullen is recognized as a trailblazer for employees with intellectual disabilities, proving that dedication and kindness can leave a lasting impact on a workplace and a community.

On April 8, the restaurant plans to celebrate Mullen by donating 20% of all sales to Lura Turner Homes. The nonprofit provides housing and support for adults with developmental disabilities and is where Mullen lives today.

Over nearly five decades, Mullen’s coworkers have become like family. Leaders from Lura Turner Homes say his story highlights loyalty, dignity and the impact of quietly making someone’s day a little brighter.

If you want to go to the fundraiser, it will be from 2-9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Denny’s location near 7th Street and Camelback 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 Craig McKee

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — With World War II underway, Bob Stone knew it was just a matter of time before he’d find himself on a warship heading overseas. He was 21 and made a decision to take control of the situation, the best he could.

“If you let them pick where you’re going, you could wind up in the trenches,” Stone said. “And they offered me an option where they would teach me some radio engineering… so I took it.”

Now 103, the New York–born World War II veteran recalls training eight hours a day, six days a week, for six months in radio engineering — the equivalent, he said, of a two-year course. By the time he finished, the Army had enough radio technicians.

“They offered me some other options,” Stone said. “I could become a pigeon trainer. I could become a cook… and then they gave me an option of becoming a teletype operator. Since I was able to type, I took that.”

That choice put Stone at the heart of the Allied war effort in Europe. Deployed to the European Theater in 1944, he arrived on the continent about two months after D-Day, first passing through the muddy, rain-soaked orchards of Normandy.

“We went through Normandy, and we spent a couple of weeks in the apple orchards,” he said. “We were living in these little tents, two men to one of these tents, and it rained most of the time. So it was not enjoyable.”

Conditions changed when his unit reached Paris. There, the U.S. military moved into a heavily fortified communications center the Germans had built.

“We spent most of our time in a bombproof concrete blockhouse that the Germans had built in Paris,” Stone said. “When we chased the Germans out, we took over the blockhouse and made that the headquarters of our communications… and we operated three shifts, eight hours a shift, around the clock.”

His work as a teletype operator helped keep messages flowing under Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s command across the European Theater and back to the United States.

In Paris, Stone picked up another role — unofficial combat photographer. A fellow soldier with photography training sparked his interest.

“I became friendly with another fellow… he was in the photography, and he got me into it, got me interested,” Stone said.

Supplies were scarce, but Stone discovered that American rations could open doors.

“We were able to get good cameras and film without any cost to us, just by trading candy, cigarettes and so on. We could get anything we wanted. The French were dying for that stuff,” he said.

Unlike many of his peers, Stone never smoked.

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 Kelly Swoope

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WMAR) — 10-year-old BelleGabrielle Annibal won a video essay contest for the Council for Economic Education by exploring the economic impact of the Johns Hopkins system.

The homeschooled fourth grader highlighted the hospital system’s investments, research, and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in her award-winning video. She also shared her dream of becoming a plastic surgeon at Johns Hopkins.

“We heard about this contest, and they were saying what the local economy impacts the global economy. So, in my video, I explored the Johns Hopkins system, highlighting its investments, research, and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I concluded by sharing my dream of. To becoming a plastic surgeon at Johns Hopkins,” BelleGabrielle Annibal said.

BelleGabrielle Annibal wants to pursue plastic surgery to help others.

“So I can help people who have cleft lipped, who have been in accidents and cancer patients who need reconstructive surgery, because I just want to help people feel better about themselves inside and the outside and so that they can truly know that they are beautiful, not only on the inside but they are,” BelleGabrielle Annibal said.

As the winner of the essay contest, BelleGabrielle Annibal spent a day behind the scenes at Johns Hopkins. She met the mascot, Jay, and spent time with researchers while wearing her own lab coat.

“Well, adults sometimes don’t hear our voices. They don’t really see who we truly are on the inside, but that’s not always the case. They do see us, and Johns Hopkins, that community just reached out and supported the youth. They supported me and they just reached out to me,” BelleGabrielle Annibal said.

BelleGabrielle Annibal is inspired by her family, including her older sister, BelleGrace, who won the same competition a few years ago. Her father, Jean-Yves-Annibal, serves as her French teacher, and her mother, Trenessa Coffey-Annibal, is her homeschool instructor and a graduate of Johns Hopkins.

“Encourage that curiosity because you never know what path it might lead them down. …. Pour into them and teach them what I think they need to know, but incredibly proud and very grateful to God for the opportunity and advantages that we’ve been given,” Trenessa Coffey-Annibal said.

BelleGabrielle Annibal also has experience on the stage, performing in a local production of “Fences,” where she delivered lines about the Hopkins East Baltimore Redevelopment Project being an 88-acre site that includes new housing and economic activity through local partnerships.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WMAR’s editorial team 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 Simon Shaykhet

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    HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WXYZ) — Parts of Holly Township remain closed to traffic after heavy flooding over the holiday weekend left drivers stranded in more than 2 feet of water. First responders rescued more than a dozen people, including a couple trying to make it to church on Easter Sunday.

Detour routes are in the works to bypass the flooded areas. Chief Matt Weil with the North Oakland County Fire Authority said heavy rain from Saturday night into Sunday accumulated quickly due to poor drainage, which is an ongoing issue in the area.

Rising waters led to dangerous situations that Weil said could have been avoided.

“The biggest challenge is common sense. A bunch of water on the road and people still think they can drive through it,” Weil said.

Weil noted that one vehicle was completely submerged in the floodwater.

“She had to climb out and stand on the roof. Miraculous no one was injured. Just the sheer speed that some folks drive through there, they don’t understand hydroplaning and how much power water has,” Weil said.

Jo Ann Stevenson and Dale Metcalf were among those rescued. They found themselves stranded in floodwater while driving through the intersection of North Holly and Elliot.

“We went chooo, and the car just quit,” Stevenson said.

Metcalf showed me how high the water reached on his SUV. The couple admitted to bypassing safety measures before getting stuck.

“We went around a barricade, which he shouldn’t have done. He’s never done it before. It’s like we figured if we didn’t go that way, we’d have to go all the way around,” Stevenson said.

“So I thought. I think I can make it through. I made it halfway, and the car died,” Metcalf said.

The couple used OnStar to call for emergency help.

“We told them we need a collision truck to get pulled out. They wanted us to get on top of the car. I said we can’t do it at our age,” Metcalf said.

First responders safely removed the couple and others from the water. Images from Byers Wrecker Tow Company showed some people clinging to the back of a fire rig.

Stevenson said she is grateful they still got a ride to church, but the real blessing is that everyone was rescued and vehicles can be repaired or replaced.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We were so happy to see the guy with the rubber suit. Hanging onto this arm and that arm. They’re fantastic,” Stevenson said.

Weil reminded the community to always obey marked signs for safety when dealing with flooded roads.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXYZ’s editorial team 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 WXYZ staff

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    ANN ARBOR, Michigan (WXYZ) — Fire crews in Ann Arbor responded to more than 40 fires on Monday night and early Tuesday morning, following Michigan’s national championship in men’s basketball.

According to the Ann Arbor Fire Department, none of the fires extended to structures or vehicles, and most of the fires involved discarded furniture, included couches and other debris.

“We appreciate the support of the Michigan State Police Aviation Unit for assisting with fire detection and location, as well as the Ann Arbor Police Department for their crowd management efforts,” fire crews said. “While this was an unfortunate end to an otherwise celebratory evening, we are grateful no serious injuries or major property damage occurred.”

The police department said that two people were arrested in the post-game celebration, and multiple street signs were damaged. There were no serious injuries reported.

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 Pachatta Pope, Jarryd Luna, and Christian Riley Dutcher

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    SAN ANTONIO (KSAT) — A motorcycle crash in a west Bexar County neighborhood ended in flames Thursday afternoon, leaving the driver with minor burns and the community shaken.

The crash was captured on video by neighbor Robert Perez, who told KSAT 12 he could not believe what had happened.

“I couldn’t believe it, this couldn’t be real life,” Perez said. “I can assure you it was 100% real. This was real life and not AI.”

The motorcycle is seen entering the frame rapidly with the driver not far behind, heading towards the intersection of Oakwood Crest and Wooden Fox.

A group of four children is on the sidewalk, but starts sprinting away from the motorcycle heading towards the intersection.

Then, the motorcycle crashed into the curb and burst into flames, with the driver sliding towards the fire.

The driver catches on fire after being flung into the flames, then runs toward a playground at nearby Stone Creek Park. KSAT has chosen to blur this portion of the video due to its graphic nature.

He later stumbles multiple times as he runs towards the park, while drivers of other vehicles pull over to help the man and the children seen running from the crash.

“It was nothing short of a miracle that none of those children were hurt,” Perez said.

When Perez arrived home, he said first responders were already at the scene. Neighbors attempted to put out the fire with a water hose.

The driver was transported to a local hospital with second-degree burns, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said.

Neighbors said crashes are not new for the neighborhood, and they want speed bumps and four-way stops to help slow down drivers in the area.

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 Joe Brandt

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A Pennsylvania Uber driver woke up to a slithery surprise after picking up two passengers who attended a reptile show.

Officers from the Exeter Township Police Department in Berks County were called out on Saturday after a local Uber driver found something unexpected in his car: a live ball python.

The driver said that on Friday night, he picked up two passengers at a reptile show in Philadelphia.

During the ride, a passenger told the driver the contents of their bag had fallen out, and they wanted to look for it, but the driver had to keep moving. He later came home to Exeter and parked in his garage.

The following morning, the driver discovered the reptile in the trunk and called police.

Officers then secured the snake and brought it to a safe location.

The department said the call was “a little outside the usual.”

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 Moser

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — A man accused of killing his coworker at a food and dairy processing facility in central Minnesota has been found incompetent to stand trial, according to the county attorney.

Daniel Delong, 41, was charged in Wright County with second-degree murder for killing 20-year-old Amber Czech on Nov. 11, 2025, at Advanced Process Technologies, located at 165 Swendra Blvd NE in Cokato, Minnesota.

Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes says a psychologist who examined Delong determined he “lacks the capacity to proceed to trial at this time due to mental illness.”

“Delong’s finding of incompetence is not the end of this case. I fully intend to prosecute Delong for the murder of Amber Czech,” Lutes said.

Delong will remain in custody, Lutes said, adding that he filed a petition to commit Delong as mentally ill and dangerous. If Delong is committed, he will go to a secure state hospital for treatment. A hearing regarding Delong’s commitment is set for May 21.

After treatment for mental illness, Lutes says Delong’s competency will be reassessed.

“I will do everything in my power to hold Delong accountable for the murder of Amber Czech,” Lutes said.

Delong was allegedly seen on surveillance video walking to Czech’s workstation, grabbing a sledgehammer from the workstation and swinging it multiple times at her.

According to charging documents, Delong later confessed to killing Czech. He told investigators that he didn’t like Czech and had planned on killing her for some time.

Lutes says he intends to seek a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for Delong if he is convicted.

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.