Category: CNN Regional

By Zachary Bynum

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — What started as a routine walk on Monday along one of Atlanta’s busiest trails quickly turned into something out of a movie.

Joseph Ragland says he and his friends were heading back from dinner near the Inman Park section of the Beltline when they noticed a crowd forming ahead.

“At first, I didn’t really know what to expect,” Ragland told CBS News Atlanta. “We had just seen a possum earlier, so I’m thinking—maybe it’s another animal.”

But this was different.

People in the crowd kept repeating one word: snake.

Then Ragland saw it.

“I see this snake tail… as big as my calf,” he said. “And I’m like—that’s not a regular snake. That’s not something native to here.”

Ragland pulled out his phone — instinctively.

“Cameraman never dies,” he joked.

What he captured next is now circulating across social media: a man stepping forward, pulling a massive snake from the bushes, and revealing what appeared to be a python stretching nearly 8 feet long across the Beltline.

“I couldn’t even see the head at first,” Ragland said. “And I’m not touching a snake if I can’t see its head.”

Then, suddenly — “Somebody’s uncle just comes out… and starts yanking the snake out of the bush,” he said.

Moments later, the snake was fully exposed.

“There’s 10 full feet of snake just laying there… and everybody’s freaking out,” Ragland said.

The Atlanta Beltline, especially near Krog Street Market, is typically packed with walkers, runners, families, and pets on warm spring days.

That day was no different.

“You could feel the energy rising,” Ragland said. “Everybody had their phones out. You just knew something was about to happen.”

And it did.

After pulling the snake out, the man reportedly walked off—leaving confusion in his wake.

Ragland says he later heard from someone still at the scene that the man appeared unusually comfortable around the animal.

“He was out there… hiding behind a bush, giggling,” Ragland said. “That’s one of the things that makes me think—it might have been his snake.”

Still, the exact origin of the python remains unclear.

As quickly as the moment escalated, Ragland and his friends decided it was time to go.

“My buddy said, ‘This is some Final Destination… let’s go,'” Ragland recalled.

They left before authorities—or anyone else—could confirm what happened next.

Despite the shock factor, Ragland says moments like this don’t feel entirely out of place in Atlanta.

“Atlanta is a city in the middle of a forest,” he said. “You never really know what you’re gonna see.”

Then he added, with a laugh:

“We got boas on the Beltline, lemurs on Edgewood, spaceships in Bankhead… I don’t think anything surprises me anymore.”

Ragland says the experience left him with one clear takeaway for anyone enjoying the Beltline:

“Watch out,” he said.

And more importantly:

“Don’t touch any animals that you don’t know.”

He even joked that one pandemic habit might still be useful:

“That six-foot distance? Might not be a bad idea.”

While it’s unclear whether the snake was an escaped pet or intentionally brought to the Beltline, the moment raises broader awareness about safety, exotic animals, and accountability in public spaces.

For now, though, the viral video stands as a reminder of just how unpredictable life in Atlanta can be.

“Out of everything I expected to see that day,” Rigland said, “an 8-foot python was definitely not one of them.”

CBS News Atlanta reached out to the Atlanta Beltline for comment.

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 Alexa Liacko

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    MARIETTA, Georgia (WUPA) — As Georgia faces a growing shortage of healthcare workers, one local teenager is already stepping in to help fill the gap — while bringing comfort to patients during some of their most difficult moments.

Inside the intensive care unit at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, the stakes are high and the environment can be overwhelming.

“It is a very stressful place,” said Aryan Agar, a student volunteer. “Every time I come here, there’s always some alarms going on in the background…there’s always patients who need something. Patients calling for help.”

Amid the constant beeping of monitors and the urgency of medical care, Agar noticed something beyond the clinical needs.

“I had come to realize that a lot of the patients here are lonely, and sometimes their morale is down,” he said.

Agar has spent more than 200 hours volunteering at the hospital through “Volunteens,” a student program designed to introduce young people to careers in healthcare. While volunteers often assist with tasks like answering phones and stocking supplies, Agar sought to make a more personal impact.

He founded a nonprofit organization called Critical Kindness, which provides care kits to ICU patients.

“Just something that can hopefully kind of make the day better for some of these patients who are in here in some of their most trying times,” Agar said.

Hospital staff say the effort goes a long way in improving patient experience.

“It makes a patient feel very safe. It makes them feel heard and listened to and really well cared for,” said Stephanie Hill, a nurse at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

Each care kit is simple but meaningful, aimed at offering comfort and a sense of connection in an otherwise isolating environment.

Aryan said the experience has also shaped him personally.

“Since I’ve been here, I definitely think that I’ve matured,” he said. “I’ve kind of come to face the issues that face our population today.”

Hospital leaders say programs like Volunteens are critical as the healthcare industry grapples with staffing shortages.

“What we want to do is have a pipeline for future employees,” said Amy Saye of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. “We are in desperate need of nurses, radiology care professionals, medical assistants… there’s so many positions that we have need of.”

Agar hopes to one day become an oncologist and continue helping others.

“Saving lives has always been a big part of my dreams,” he said. “Hopefully I can inspire other people my age, or any age, to start something like this.”

His mother, Swati Gopalan, said his passion extends beyond the hospital walls.

“He wants to save lives in the medical environment and outside of it as well,” she said. “He’s a lifeguard and also a fire cadet in Cobb County, where he’s learning the same skills firefighters use to save lives. It means a lot that he’s trying to do so much for the community.”

Saye said Agar represents the promise of the next generation of healthcare workers.

“We are in good hands. We have so much to look forward to,” she said. “We can continue to invest in them, trust them, give them our time and our resources. And I promise you they are going to do great things.”

Wellstar officials say the Volunteens program has grown increasingly competitive, now receiving far more applications than it can accept — an encouraging sign that many young people are ready to answer the call to serve.

For Agar, that calling is already clear: making a difference, one patient at a time.

Applications for the program can be found on the Wellstar website.

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 Breana Pitts

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    NEEDHAM, Massachusetts (WBZ) — March is Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month, and for families navigating celiac disease, treatment does not come in the form of medication or a cure. Instead, it requires a lifelong commitment to a strict gluten-free diet.

At Boston Children’s Hospital’s Needham campus, that education is happening in an unexpected place – the kitchen.

What looks at first like a cooking class, is actually a doctor’s appointment designed to help children and families build real-life skills around food and health.

“It’s a billable service that were offering. It’s a nutrition education appointment, and we’re giving them the education as well as some practical skills,” explained culinary nutrition manager Nolan Reese.

Reese and dietitian Maria Cherry run the hospital’s newly opened teaching kitchen in Needham, a space where families can learn how to cook for a range of health needs, including celiac disease, epilepsy and diabetes.

“What I talk about in these classes is that when we’re looking at our food groups, the majority are naturally gluten-free. So if we focus on what we already have that is gluten-free, like fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein, that’s going to help us create really great, healthy recipes instead of focusing so much on what we’re missing when we’re talking about a gluten-free diet,” Cherry said.

“If a kid is newly diagnosed and we tell them what they need to eat, it might go in one ear and out the other,” Reese said. “But we use this space to sort of practice those skills and help really solidify those recommendations.”

For kids with epilepsy, the kitchen can be a place to learn about the ketogenic diet and how to carefully measure ingredients. For children with diabetes, it can help teach carb counting and practical cooking skills that build confidence outside the hospital setting.

Cherry said the kitchen creates a more comfortable, collaborative environment for patients and families.

“We have more of a back and forth, and it’s more collaborative,” she said. “I think that really takes off the pressure.”

The pair also brings their recipes beyond the kitchen and onto YouTube, sharing dishes like black bean and sweet potato quesadillas and gluten-free chickpea cookie dough — meals designed to be inclusive for the whole family.

“Creating recipes that are easy for all friends and family to enjoy, and not feel like they’re missing out on anything, are really important,” Cherry said.

The teaching kitchen is also preparing to expand its reach, with plans to offer free community classes in the near future, giving more families access to hands-on nutrition education.

“We want kids to feel confident managing their conditions in the real world,” Reese said. “And this gives them a way to practice those skills and actually make it fun.”

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 Jacob Wycoff

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    WORCESTER, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A simple frustration turned into something much bigger for 13-year-old Jason Chang, a seventh grader at Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. Jason didn’t set out to solve a global energy problem. He just wanted to stop adjusting his family’s solar-powered Christmas decorations.

“My mom would always tell me to go outside and move the solar lights to face the sun… and I got kind of frustrated,” Jason said. “What if I could fix this problem?”

That moment, small, relatable, and a little annoying, sparked an idea that would eventually earn him national recognition.

Jason’s project is what he calls an “eco-efficient solar tracking system.” In simple terms, it’s a solar panel that follows the sun throughout the day.

Most solar panels are fixed in place, meaning they don’t always capture sunlight at the optimal angle. That can lead to a loss of potential energy, Jason says that number is up to 20%.

His solution? A system that moves with the sun, without using motors, sensors, or electricity.

Instead, it relies on gravity.

Using a series of water-filled containers, a seesaw-style design, and a carefully timed fluid control system, his device slowly shifts the weight of the panel throughout the day. As the sun moves, the panel tilts with it automatically.

“All you have to do is pull on the plug and the water starts flowing,” Jason explained. “Over time, it will add water slowly into the bucket, weighing the panel down gradually to follow the sun’s movement.”

The entire system is built using simple materials, many of them recycled. The cost is less than $25.

Jason didn’t just build the model, he tested it. In outdoor comparisons with a standard fixed solar panel, his design generated about 20% more voltage.

That kind of improvement could have real-world implications, especially in areas where every bit of energy matters.

“I hope my project can help people around the world to provide more electricity,” he said. “Since it’s very low cost… I believe that it can be made anywhere around the world.”

Because it doesn’t rely on external power or complex parts, the system could be especially useful in off-grid communities, developing regions, or even disaster zones where electricity is limited or unavailable.

Jason has been working on the project for over a year, refining the design and documenting each step along the way in a detailed notebook.

Like most inventions, it didn’t come together perfectly on the first try.

“The hardest part was the fluid control frame,” he said. “It has to be very precise… the measurements have to be exact for the panel to move correctly.”

He’s already thinking ahead, too.

One limitation of the current design is that water can freeze in colder temperatures. So, Jason is now working on a new version; one that can function year-round, even in winter conditions.

It’s a mindset that goes beyond just one project.

“I think most problems in life… instead of working hard, you should work smarter,” he said. “Think of ideas to overcome the problem.”

After walking through the design and its potential impact, WBZ-TV’s Jacob Wycoff showed Jason a surprise video message from Jenny Buccos, co-founder of the National STEM Festival.

“Congratulations on being named a National STEM Champion,” she said. “You are one of the 55 reasons to believe the future is in incredible hands.”

The room quickly filled with applause. Jason had been selected as one of the nation’s top young innovators and invited to Washington, D.C. to present his work.

“I feel great,” he said, smiling as his classmates cheered him on.

At just 13 years old, Jason is already thinking like an engineer and an entrepreneur.

“When I’m older, I want to be an entrepreneur… create products… and make everyone’s life easier,” he said.

It’s a big goal. But if this project is any indication, he’s well on his way.

What started as a simple frustration has turned into something with real potential as an idea that could help bring energy to places that need it most.

And now, it’s taking him to a national stage.

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 WABC Staff

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    NEW YORK (WABC) — A woman who lost her engagement ring while running the New York City Half Marathon received news on Wednesday from a jeweler who wants to help with her emotional and sentimental loss.

Big Apple Jewels in the Diamond District has offered to make a replacement ring for Isabel Lahn-Schroeder.

She believes she lost her ring around mile ten in the area of Central Park South.

The couple tried to look for the ring but had not had any luck.

On Wednesday, the owner of Big Apple Jewels delivered the great news.

“What we’d like to do is make you a replica of the exact same ring that you lost without any pay. We’re happy that you came out to New York, ran the marathon and it’s an opportunity for us to take part in your special day that will last with the family and with you forever,” Zak Nissanov with Big Apple Jewels said.

The ring was originally a tie clasp and when the family member who owned it passed away, one of the female family members turned it into a ring and it has been passed down to generations ever since.

The jeweler said hopefully, the new ring can create new traditions for the family.

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 Darla Miles

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    ROSELLE PARK, New Jersey (WABC) — A 9-year-old girl in New Jersey grieving the sudden loss of her father has been reunited with the dog he gave her after the pet sitter caring for him could not be reached.

“My heart dropped finding out what happened, finding out that his family was worried sick about wondering where Major was,” said pet sitter Grace Reyes.

On Wednesday, Major trotted into the Roselle Park Police Department – almost like he knew he was going to be reunited with his family.

The 2-year-old cockapoo was a birthday gift from a father to his daughter – and had been in total limbo with his pet sitter since Friday.

“He was supposed to be picked up on Friday and so the messages stopped going through on Thursday and I started getting worried,” Reyes said. “Because he never goes that long without texting me.”

Major’s owner died unexpectedly last week on vacation abroad. His family spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News on Monday – desperate to find the pet sitter.

“On Tuesday morning, my aunt calls me with this anxiety,” Reyes said. “And she sends me this post of Major and she says, ‘isn’t this the dog that you take care of all the time, Major?'”

At the same time, Reyes had been searching social media to find his family.

“Thanks to Eyewitness News and other friends and family that blasted this all over social media, they were able to locate where Major actually was,” Officer Vincent Picarelli said.

Roselle Park police received a call from Reyes’ aunt.

“We have Officer Picarelli and I told him yesterday we have to this young puppy for this 9-year-old daughter,” said Roselle Park Chief Dominick Frino. “He told me ‘Chief, don’t worry about it’ and he said ‘I’ll have this dog for you by the end of the day.'”

And he did. On Wednesday, Major went home to his 9-year-old owner who is already dealing with the loss of her father – but now doesn’t have to also deal with the loss of her dog.

“I’m a father of two daughters and this just broke my heart when I heard this story,” Frino 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 Sara Tenenbaum, Marissa Sulek

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Would you send your child to a private school with no teachers and learning driven by AI? And would you pay to do so?

Alpha Schools, a private school that teaches students entirely using artificial intelligence programs, is now enrolling for classes in Chicago this fall.

The schools will teach from kindergarten through eighth grade at the Lakeshore East building, the former Gems World Academy.

An AI school sounds like students are learning from robots, there are no teachers, and kids stare at computers all day. That’s not exactly how it works.

The curriculum is unique. Each child is assigned a “guide” instead of a teacher. The kids learn from AI for one to two hours a day on a computer, learning core subjects like science, math, and reading. When screen time is over, the guides lead the children in workshops from public speaking to coding to outdoor education.

“We are using the same curriculum that students in the classroom are learning from. This is not ChatGPT coming up with made-up questions,” said founder Mackenzie Price.

Price said their AI system can precisely assess what a student knows and doesn’t know. She said that’s good for basic learning, their guides teach students the rest, and they are paid well with six-figure salaries.

“Teachers are not going to be replaced. They are the most important part of making a model work, and they are the reason that our model is so successful,” Price said.

“It’s really not that new, to be honest, it’s personalized learning,” said Liz Gerber with the Center for Human-Computer Interaction and design at Northwestern University.

Gerber said the Alpha School is self-directed learning with Montessori principles.

She hesitates to call this an AI school. However, it is $55,000 per child to attend, and that only attracts a wealthy clientele.

“What’s concerning to me is it’s not going to be available to everybody, it’s just not scalable. I mean, the cost is just prohibitive,” Gerber said.

Why is it so expensive?

“It’s our afternoons and the activities we do during those life skills workshops that is where a lot of this is going,” Price said.

Price says kids are able to move at the pace and level right for them.

According to Alpha Schools, their classes rank in the top 1% pon national standardized tests, and their students grow, on average, 2.6 times faster than peers on nationally informed MAP tests.

Currently, they have 35 students interested and two enrolled for the next school year. Their goal is to have 50 students enrolled by the fall of 2026, and they are currently taking applications.

There are 22 Alpha Schools currently across the country. Their website mentions that the tuition includes a slew of activities, like a trip to Formula 1, Poland, and even a summer program in the Hamptons.

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 Taylor Locke

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    CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — A spontaneous bicycle journey from Montreal to Virginia has given a 23-year-old rider a firsthand look at how bike safety laws and infrastructure vary from state to state.

Jan Martinez was biking along Newby Bridge Road in Chesterfield County this week when we met him during his hundreds-of-miles trek. He was on his way to his aunt’s house in Midlothian, but his journey started much further north.

Martinez began his trip on March 12. He bought a used bicycle in Montreal and relied on it for hundreds of miles, catching trains for parts of his journey after biking to Boston.

“So I did that, just staying at cheap motels and friends’ houses,” Martinez said.

Along the way, Martinez noticed major differences in bike infrastructure and how seriously bike safety laws are enforced.

“In New Hampshire and Massachusetts, there is a law that explicitly says that when you’re crossing … a person who is biking in the road, you have to give them four feet,” Martinez said.

In Virginia, a similar law requires drivers to give cyclists three feet of space. If that is not possible, drivers must move to another lane to pass safely. Martinez noted this small difference can make a big impact on how safe riders feel on the road.

He also observed stark differences in the bike lanes themselves.

“In the north, like in New England and Montreal, even with the snow, there was a lot of snow when I was there, they cleaned them up, the bicycle lanes, so you can bike through them,” Martinez said. “But here it was just like a glorified shoulder, pretty much. I just noticed you can’t even see the sign, the bicycle sign, because it’s covered in mud and stuff.”

Despite the challenges of ever-changing traffic patterns and weather, Martinez hopes drivers everywhere remember that sharing the road safely makes all the difference for cyclists.

“I have some anecdotes, some good memories of what I’ve done and I’ve really enjoyed it. I met some really nice people, like you guys,” Martinez said. “These things, you can’t just plan it. So it’s just a really nice experience overall. I’ve learned a lot.”

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