Category: CNN Regional

By Marvin Hurst

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    BENBROOK, Texas (KTVT) — Kurt Carroll, by some estimates, was sitting at the right place at the right time when someone asked him the right questions: “Aren’t you adopted? Did you ever find your biological parents?’

The 58-year-old retired Dallas Police Department officer recalls sitting in a courtroom with his daughter and a coworker, who tagged along with her father to court sometimes.

“I was adopted in Dallas. I was born in Dallas Osteopathic Hospital,” Carroll said. “And I said, I was picked up at Sears and Roebuck right down the street here.”

His coworker got him to a sealed file. The judge who could help him was one courtroom over. Carroll made his case to the judge, gained his favor, and began his journey looking for his parents. His adoptive family, he said, never hid his past from him.

A little detective work on Facebook and other signs, like his son’s unrelated search on an ancestry site, yielded, “Dad, you know anyone named Rossing? It says we’re related to them.”

Carroll had discovered who he believed were his siblings. One in particular works at the Benbrook Fire Department.

Over the last year, he’s tried multiple times, half a dozen or so, to reach out here to no avail. Ultimately, giving up, telling the secretary to “Give him my number and tell him to call me, please,” Assistant Fire Chief Chris Rossing said.

Rossing said he kept missing Carroll. Finally, he saw a sticky on his door with Carroll’s name, number and “Please call.” So, he did, thinking a citizen might have a complaint. Instead, it was a Terrell-raised man who said, “I wanted to tell you this in person.”

“He was like, ‘This is Chief Rossing. I was told I needed to call you,'” said Carroll. “So, I just kinda led into the deal and asked did he know these people? And he said, ‘I know both of them. They’re my parents.’ And I was like, ‘They’re my parents too, apparently.'”

Rossing, who is a twin, was the oldest of the brothers and sisters he knew about. His brother, Tony, works in the restaurant industry. They have a sister and step-siblings.

“I mean, what he said went in and out of my head. And then it took me a minute to realize, wait, what did he just say?” Rossing said. “So I questioned him, ‘what did you just tell me?’ And he had to repeat it. And I was just dumbfounded, completely dumbfounded.”

The assistant fire chief said he had no reason for disbelief. His twin, Tony, is so accustomed to the rhythm and connectivity twins have that after 58 years a new older brother is going to take some getting used to.

“I’m still am trying to [absorb] it all and take it all in and learn it. It’s fascinating. It’s going to be very interesting to go down this road,” Tony Rossing said.

Carroll said he wants to know about his biological family’s history, and he sees what this means to his brothers. However, if he doesn’t get any answers, he has an existing family who continues to love him.

The newly found brothers had not shared the discovery with their father, who is in Fort Worth and described as estranged. But, the retired officer has started building bridges with his twin brothers.

“When he [the assistant chief] invited me to his house, and I go up, and I knock on the door, and he opens the door, it’s like, ‘Holy moly,'” Carroll said.

Rossing said others have cast a lot more doubt than he has.

“When I saw him, I was like, he’s definitely got my genetics. There’s no way this guy is not related to me,” Rossing, “It’s so good now because it’s so unexpected and such a welcome surprise that no regrets at all.”

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 Rachelle Graham

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    BATTLE CREEK, Michigan (WWJ) — More than a century after W.K. Kellogg transformed breakfast in America, his company’s Michigan roots remain firmly planted in Battle Creek, a city still known around the world as “Cereal City.”

As the nation prepares to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, CBS News Detroit visited WK Kellogg Co. to explore how one of the country’s most recognizable food brands helped shape both a community and the cereal industry.

Inside the company’s archives, corporate archivist Virginia Angles preserves more than 120 years of Kellogg history, including some of the marketing ideas that helped make the brand a household name.

One of her favorite stories is “Wink Day,” a 1908 promotion that encouraged shoppers to wink at their grocer to receive a free sample of Kellogg’s Toasted Corn Flakes.

“People went shopping, they winked, and they received a free sample of Kellogg’s Toasted Corn Flakes,” Angles said. “This is a landmark moment for us, in my opinion, because after this, everyone knew the name, Kellogg.”

The company continued to pioneer creative advertising over the years.

Chief Growth Officer Doug VandeVelde said W.K. Kellogg embraced bold marketing even during difficult economic times.

“He was the first person to put a moving billboard in Times Square,” VandeVelde said. “This was during the middle of the Depression, where everyone was saying, ‘We can’t spend any money on marketing,’ and he said, ‘No, we’re going to double down.'”

Kellogg also helped popularize cereal-box prizes, a tradition that introduced generations of children to toys tucked inside breakfast boxes.

The company recently revived the promotion after a decade-long break with a “Toy Story 5”- themed giveaway.

While the archives preserve the past, researchers at WK Kellogg Co. are focused on developing future products.

At the company’s research and development center, scientists carefully evaluate cereals for texture, flavor and how they change from the first bite to the last.

“We start to see what happened in the beginning, middle and end,” Senior Director of R&D Operations Noe Rizo said during a tasting demonstration.

Battle Creek’s cereal heritage is celebrated each summer during Cereal Festival, which features a parade, a 5K race, live entertainment and thousands of free bowls of cereal.

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Stacy Flathau said serving cereal to the community has become one of the company’s signature traditions.

“You know we work really hard,” Flathau said. “We hustle for about four or five hours to make sure everybody gets a bowl of cereal that wants one.”

For Flathau, a third-generation Kellogg employee, the connection is also personal.

She said one of the defining experiences of growing up in Battle Creek was stepping outside and recognizing the smell of cereal drifting from the nearby production facilities.

Residents who have lived in the city for years can often pinpoint exactly which cereal is being made, she said.

More than 100 years after W.K. Kellogg built his business in Southwest Michigan, Battle Creek’s identity remains closely tied to the cereal maker that helped put the city on the map.

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 Chelsea Hylton, Dean Fioresi

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    ORANGE COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Hazardous materials are scheduled to be removed from a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove beginning on Monday morning, a month after a compromised chemical tank at risk of exploding or leaking caused tens of thousands of Orange County residents to evacuate their homes.

Crews from the Orange County Health Care Agency, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and GKN Aerospace are expected to begin the process of removing now-neutralized methyl methacrylate (MMA) from two storage tanks.

A previously scheduled cleanup date was postponed in early June due to a lack of “needed resources.”

Orange County Health Care Agency officials are warning people in the area that as crews work to remove the MMA, there could be a temporary odor. They are advised that the chemical compound smells fruity with a “very low odor threshold,” meaning that people could notice the smell even if concentrations are at very low levels.

Safety measures like air monitoring will be conducted throughout the process to ensure there is no danger to the public. Residents can follow along with the process via an interactive data dashboard online that also tracks air monitoring data, officials said. Any updates surrounding the cleanup will also be posted on the OC Health Care Agency website.

The cleanup is scheduled to take place during daylight hours from Monday through Thursday at the GKN Aerospace campus in the 12000 block of Western Avenue.

Around 50,000 people were evacuated late last month when one of the tanks malfunctioned, leading to the possibility of a “catastrophic explosion” or spill, officials said. Emergency crews spent several days cooling down the tank and eventually discovering that a leak relieved some of the pressure and eliminated the threat of an explosion.

GKN Aerospace apologized to the community and has pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars to a relief fund for those who were affected by the chemical crisis. But many residents want accountability and still have questions about whether the company should be able to use toxic chemicals like MMA so close to homes and businesses.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer’s probe into the facility remains ongoing as he seeks potential whistleblowers to come forward with evidence of malpractice. Earlier in June, the FBI served a search warrant at GKN Aerospace as they looked to seize documents, records and devices related to MMA and other hazardous substances at the facility.

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 Austin Turner

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    BIG BEAR, California (KCAL, KCBS) — One of the famous Big Bear eaglets fell from its bald eagle family’s nest on Sunday, though an activist organization believes she’s OK.

On the Friends of Big Bear Valley livestream at about 11:24 a.m., one of the eaglets, later identified as Sandy, could be seen flapping her wings while standing on a branch near the nest. While doing so, she lost her footing and fell to a lower branch.

About one minute later, the eaglet dropped down again, landing on an even lower branch.

At 11:30 a.m., Sandy, which appeared to be hanging from the branch upside down, fell once more, this time out of view from the live camera.

In a comment to CBS LA, the Friends of Big Bear Valley said it’s remaining positive that Sandy is OK after the scare.

“Fortunately we saw her fly and land on another tree from our security camera,” the organization said in a statement. “Right now she is likely hiding out and getting her bearings.”

The organization confirmed that Sandy’s mother, Jackie, was nearby after the incident.

Jackie and Shadow welcomed their two new family members in early April. They were later named Sandy and Luna, with the former named after the late Friends of Big Bear Valley wildlife activist Sandy Steers.

No additional details were immediately made available.

A Friends of Big Bear Valley blog posted Sunday morning indicated that the eaglets could be just days away from taking flight for the first time. The organization reminded visitors to stay away from the habitat.

“We also remind everyone that it is illegal to be in the habitat at this sensitive time for our eagle family,” Friends of Big Bear Valley 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 Colette Bordelon

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    DENVER (KMGH) — A Denver family has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City and County of Denver after their loved one was killed inside of a cell at the Downtown Detention Center by another inmate.

The family of 34-year-old Vincent Chacon and their lawyers believe his death was preventable, and that he should have never been housed with the inmate who later pleaded guilty to killing him.

“No parent should ever have to stand before cameras and speak about the death of their child,” said Chacon’s mother, Angela Hernandez, in front of the crowd gathered at the announcement of the lawsuit. “My son, Vincent, was more than just the circumstances of his death. He was a son, he was a brother, he was a friend, and most importantly, he was a human being who deeply mattered.”

Hernandez said she wants to remember her son for who he was, not how he died.

“He was a clown. I mean, I don’t think there was a serious bone in his body,” said Hernandez. “Everyone who came in contact with Vincent just loved him.”

The lawsuit asserts that deputies with the Denver Sheriff Department placed “an extremely violent and dangerous man, high on methamphetamine” into Chacon’s cell, and “then ignored his cries for help as that man strangled him to death.”

That man was Ricky Lee Roybal-Smith, 39, “a repeat offender with a long rap sheet,” according to the filing. The documents continue to claim that Roybal-Smith was classified as a maximum-security inmate, while Chacon was a medium-security inmate.

The lawsuit says Roybal-Smith strangled Chacon to death within hours of the two sharing a cell.

“It was patently obvious to the City and County of Denver that this man was a danger to himself and others, that he was high, that he had a long and sordid history of violent criminal behavior, and yet they put him in a cell with a young man who had not engaged in any kind of violence at all. A young man who was just trying to do what he needed to do to get through the process and get out to get home to his friends and family,” said Mari Newman, an attorney on the case. “What happened was horrifying.”

According to the timeline contained in the federal filing, Chacon was booked into the jail on a failure to appear warrant for alleged shoplifting on June 26, 2025.

An affidavit for Roybal-Smith obtained by Denver7 shows that Denver Police initially arrested him as a driver who fled the scene after crashing into a pedestrian, and proceeded to cause a hit-and-run. At the same time, Aurora Police were searching for Roybal-Smith on suspicion of murdering two men, Scott Davenport and Jesse Shafer.

The arrest papers show that Shafer was stabbed approximately 15 times, and Davenport was stabbed roughly 90 times. Investigators determined that there was only an hour estimated between the two murders in the early hours of June 29.

The federal filing states that Roybal-Smith was arrested while under the influence of methamphetamine and was placed into the same cell as Chacon on the evening of June 29.

“He should never have been in a cell with somebody who Denver knew had been designated as a dangerous, high-risk, repeat criminal,” said Newman. “Denver has all kinds of protocols that it absolutely failed to follow in this case.”

Lawyers on the case said they recently obtained an inmate grievance form from Aug. 2025, where an inmate claimed they listened to Chacon “cry for help all night in his cell while being choked to death and deputies did nothing for him until he was dead.”

“He was crying out, trying to get help, and the only reason we know that is because over a year later — after request after request after request — Denver finally produced some of the documents we have been demanding for the last year,” Newman said.

“I was telling myself he didn’t suffer, that even though his life was taken, that he went immediately. And now to hear the graphic details and how long he suffered angers me, and it reopens all those wounds, and it’s like reliving the phone call all over again,” Hernandez said.

The lawsuit continues to say that just after 2:15 a.m. on June 30, Roybal-Smith banged on the cell window and reported that Chacon was choking. At that time, the suit says Chacon was already dead.

According to the court documents, Roybal-Smith told deputies Chacon choked on an apple.

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner determined strangulation was Chacon’s cause of death, and the manner was homicide.

The filing asserts that deputies failed to conduct timely welfare checks, failed to safely classify and house inmates, and failed to train, supervise, and discipline subordinate deputies regarding those duties.

“We’re here demanding accountability, demanding change, and demanding that this never happens again,” said Newman.

“Even though his voice was silenced, ours is going to get louder, and we’re not going to stop fighting,” Hernandez said.

In March, Roybal-Smith was sentenced to 80 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder related to Shafer and Davenport.

Then, in April, Roybal-Smith pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Chacon’s case, along with a driving under the influence charge. He received a 56-year prison sentence that will be served concurrently with his 80-year sentence.

Denver7 reached out to the Denver City Attorney’s Office, which said they do not have a comment on the new lawsuit at this time. A spokesperson continued to say they have not been served with the suit yet.

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 Suzanne Stevens

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSTU) — At a fireworks stand in Salt Lake City, the day starts with boxes. Counting them and stacking them well before the first customer ever arrives. But over the past few days, selling fireworks also means answering questions about the ban.

“They’re asking, ‘Are these banned? Are we allowed to shoot these off? Where can we use them?'” shared stand attendant Deolinda Fiatoa.

That’s where things get complicated. Fireworks are still for sale, but personal use is banned across Salt Lake County through Sunday because of extreme fire danger.

How the ban is enforced depends on the city you live in. No officials would talk about their plans in person, but according to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office, police and fire crews are expected to enforce the ban, just like any other law.

City leaders are also asking people who see personal fireworks going off to call the non-emergency line and not 9-1-1 unless they see flames.

Meanwhile, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said deputies will respond to reports and take enforcement action when they see violations. South Salt Lake is increasing its patrols, and Unified Fire will work with its local law enforcement partners to enforce the ban.

While the response may look different from city to city, the message is the same: don’t light fireworks.

For Elvis Hicks of Cottonwood Heights, that’s enough reason to skip it this year.

“We’re in a little rough spot right now. I don’t think that’s gonna help anybody,” said Hicks.

Officials hope more people make that same choice. With hot, dry conditions across Utah, the goal isn’t just to hand out citations; it’s to prevent the next wildfire before it starts.

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 Cameron Polom

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    GILBERT, Arizona (KNXV) — After 30 years at Highland High School, teacher Bob Allen isn’t being celebrated for what he taught in the classroom.

He’s being celebrated for what he inspired outside of it.

Allen built a student service-learning program from the ground up that’s generated more than 650,000 volunteer hours across the Valley and helped facilitate nearly 17,000 blood donations.

Along the way, thousands of students discovered a passion for helping others and, in some cases, even found their future careers.

Now, as Allen prepares to retire, we’ll look back on the extraordinary impact of one educator whose greatest lesson may have been that making a difference starts with showing up.

It’s a story about service, leadership, and a legacy that will continue long after the final bell rings.

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.