Category: CNN Regional

By La’Tasha Givens

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — For Mary Sims, the nightmare began with what she thought was a simple case of the flu. Instead, it spiraled into a grueling five-year battle with cancer that robbed her of her health, her hair, and her 30s.

Today, the only thing Sims is fighting is the weight on the rack. Now a competitive bodybuilder, the Atlanta mother has transformed her survival story into a mission to help other women rebuild their bodies after medical trauma.

The road to the stage was paved with hardship. Sims was diagnosed with a FLT3 mutation, a form of leukemia that is notoriously difficult to cure. Doctors told her that her best chance at survival was a bone marrow transplant.

The search for a donor was met with immediate obstacles. Her siblings were tested, but none were a match for the stem cell transplant she desperately needed. Her oldest sister, Tequila Chester, was unable to be tested at the time because she was pregnant.

While Sims’s two sons gave her the motivation to keep fighting, a family tragedy ultimately provided the miracle she needed.

During Sims’s treatment, Chester suffered a miscarriage. Despite her own grief, her first thought was of her sister.

“In that moment, I didn’t think about me, I thought about my sister,” Chester said. Once she was able to be tested, the results were a miracle: she was a 100 percent match.

“The first thing she said to me was, ‘What do you need from me? I got you,'” Sims recalled through tears.

The transplant saved Sims’s life, but the recovery was a mountain of its own. Following the procedure, Sims endured 100 consecutive days of eight-hour hospital visits. Complications left her barely able to walk, and the toll on her body felt permanent.

“Cancer robbed me of my 30s,” Sims said. But she wasn’t about to let it take her 40s.

Sims became determined to reclaim everything the illness had stripped away from her hair to her physique. She opened salon Studio 211, specifically catering to women experiencing medically related hair loss.

Then, she turned her focus to strengthening her body. Working with bodybuilding coach Angel Andrews, Sims didn’t just get back in shape; she sculpted her body into an award-winning masterpiece. She has since competed in and won multiple bodybuilding competitions.

As Sims grew stronger, her sister’s life had changed too. Chester became pregnant again. While her rainbow baby Brooklyn was born healthy, Chester faced her own medical hurdles, including preeclampsia, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea.

Needing to lose more than 50 pounds for her health, Chester turned to the woman who knew how to make a health comeback.

“Just like I did with her, she said yes,” Chester said.

Using the same disciplined approach that rebuilt her own body after chemotherapy, Sims coached her sister back to health. Today, both sisters are at their physical best, bonded by a bond that goes deeper than blood.

Sims now leads a fitness group in Atlanta, helping women navigate weight loss and recovery. Her message to anyone facing a life-altering illness is, “You can come out on the other side even better than you were before.”

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 Michael Cusanelli

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    SHELBURNE, Vermont (WPTZ) — A raccoon in Shelburne found himself in a sticky situation after firefighters had to help remove a peanut butter jar from the animal’s head.

The Shelburne Fire Department responded to a unique call Tuesday after someone saw that the raccoon had a jar stuck on its head 25 feet up in a tree.

Firefighters shared several photos of the incident, showing the raccoon in its precarious position.

Firefighters used a ladder to reach the raccoon and employed a snare to remove the jar from its head. The department said the case is a reminder to properly dispose of food containers and secure trash because wildlife is often looking for those tasty smells like that of peanut butter.

The department also said that while the call did not involve a fire or medical emergency, it highlights the team’s ability to handle a wide range of situations, including ones that require ladders, patience and some creative problem-solving.

Now that is what we call a lucky break on St. Patrick’s Day.

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 Danae Bucci

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — Wednesday marks the 36th anniversary of the theft of 13 precious art pieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, including Rembrandt’s only seascape, in one of the biggest heists in history.

Despite decades of searching, the crime remains unsolved, but officials remain confident that the stolen pieces will eventually be returned. The intensive search has led investigators to many places, but investigators and museum conservators are still waiting for the pieces’ return.

“We do dream of that day because I said this whole room needs to be restored, and that is part of it,” said Holly Salmon, director of conservation at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

“We developed a plan years ago, for every step of the recovery effort, exactly what we would do for every everything that would be required for us to do — from how they would get here to how we would speak to you, to how the team would repair them,” said Anthony Amore, director of security and chief investigator at the museum.

There is a $10 million reward for information leading investigators directly to the missing art, which can be prorated per piece.

“It’s incredibly rare for a stolen painting, especially a masterpiece, be destroyed. The last time a Rembrandt was destroyed was in the 1930s, and there have been 80 thefts since then without any being destroyed,” Amore said.

Amore said he is not interested in prosecuting anyone; he just wants the return of the stolen works.

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 Bethany Cates

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    GUILFORD COUNTY, North Carolina (WXII) — Every day is like clockwork for Deputy Rajinique Austin, who has been battling kidney failure for two years and continues to serve her community every day as a Guilford County deputy. She is optimistic for a match.

“If I wasn’t here, you know the world would go on, time goes on, but if everybody else can get up and go to work and make it work and work hard, I can too,” Austin said.

Austin prepares her dialysis machine before work, goes to the courthouse, and returns home to connect to the machine, maintaining a routine that ends around midnight.

“I try to get on right before six or by six, and I’ll be done around 12 a.m.,” said Austin.

There’s a fight beyond the badge as she battles stage 5 kidney failure, even having to make sacrifices to prioritize her health. Austin said she had to give her car up, “I couldn’t afford my car with the rent, prescription and doctor bills.”

Austin said this all started back in 2024 while she was at work, and she experienced abdominal pain she had never felt before. She said her mother has been her biggest motivator, after going through the same thing.

“She advised me that either you’re going to cry about it or you’re going to just take it and go through because you don’t have any options,” said Austin.

Her fellow deputies said that is exactly what she’s done.

“She’s amazing,” said Chris Ferguson. “She shows up every day, she’s got a positive attitude; everything that she’s gone through, she’s still inspiring to everyone in the office,” Ferguson added.

While the internal clock might be ticking mentally and physically, Austin is hoping an O or B blood type donor will come knocking at her door.

“I can get back to normal,” said Austin. “I can get back to hanging out with my friends, because I won’t have to do treatment every night, I can get back to working out I can get back to overtime, traveling, everything I was doing before,” she added.

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 Caleb Califano, Ari Hait

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    RIVIERA BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — Riviera Beach police say they now believe the suspect in a mass shooting in Riviera Beach was hearing voices in his head telling him to kill people.

The shooting began inside the Azure Estates community in Riviera Beach around 6:15 Monday night.

A man police have identified as 20-year-old Terrell Gibson of West Palm Beach was visiting a friend in the community and said he felt like he was being harassed.

Investigators said Gibson told them voices in his head told him to get a gun and shoot people.

“The spirits told him to kill the demons, at which time, he shot the people that was in front of him,” said Chief Michael Coleman of the Riviera Beach Police.

Gibson attempted to flee the scene by running onto Martin Luther King Boulevard, where he stopped an SUV and tried to steal it.

“During this attempt, he shot three additional victims and ultimately succeeded in taking a vehicle by force before fleeing the area,” Coleman said.

Among those shot was a pastor from Life Center Church in Riviera Beach.

Community members identified the victim as Pastor James Easley.

His condition remains unknown.

In total, five people were shot, with one person killed, two in critical condition, and two others suffering non-life-threatening injuries.

Gibson was arrested Monday night in St. Lucie County. Police displayed a photo of the handgun and ammunition used in the shooting.

“He had a tumbler magazine, extended magazine with a tumbler, so multiple, 30 to 40 different rounds, rounds in his clip,” Coleman said.

Gibson now faces a long list of charges, including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, and is being held without bond.

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 Bradley Shimel

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    FORT MYERS, Florida (WBBH) — St. Patrick’s Day brought a treat to tennis fans and community members in the Heritage Palms community as four men all at least 90 years of age took part in a tennis doubles match.

There were over 360 years of life experience on one court, but don’t let their ages fool you because the competition is fierce!

On a frigid Tuesday afternoon, the Heritage Palms community witnessed what some are calling the tennis match of the century.

Dozens of spectators packed the bleachers to watch these men compete as they shined in the spotlight.

Tennis player Don Pickard said, “When you’re 92 and you can move, you move and then you hurt afterwards and then you get up and move again and that’s the way we do it. It still hurts though!”

To no one’s surprise, this game came down to a tiebreaker, with one team claiming the coveted trophy, but everyone that took in this match left the court as a winner.

Tennis player Bob Gerlicher said, “It’s kind of fun to play in front of your home crowd because they were cheering and yelling, and I think that helped a lot.”

Ron Morrison said, “The main thing the crowd got back was that it doesn’t matter what your age is, it’s surprising that you can still play tennis.”

Next year, these four plan on returning to the court, with an additional four years of life experience, and a love for staying active.

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 David Collins

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    ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (WBAL) — A bill before Maryland’s General Assembly would put people and communities at the center of environmental decisions.

The bill, called the “Cherish Our Communities Act,” requires pollution permit decisions to be based on environmental justice data. The data determines the impact on public health, and Maryland currently lacks legal authority to make permitting decisions based on those numbers.

The bill creates a system where community voices matter in decisions that affect their health. Its goal is to protect communities while providing clear guidelines for industry.

The Cherish Our Communities Act ensures neighborhoods already dealing with pollution burdens aren’t forced to accept even more without safeguards and benefits. A coalition of environmentalists and concerned citizens voiced their concerns during a rally at Lawyer’s Mall in Annapolis Tuesday.

“We’re here today because the Cherished Bill is what puts communities back into decision-making. The point of Cherish, it’s beautifully as it sounds in the name, to cherish our communities. For far too long, the communities across the state of Maryland have dealt with the air pollution, with groundwater pollution, and had to take on more of their own share of pollution and harm being done into their communities,” concerned citizen Carlos Sanchez from South Baltimore said.

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has a state map showing communities overburdened by pollution and underserved by government services. The legislation sets new requirements for pollution permits in these areas and allows MDE to deny permits based on environmental justice grounds.

“I am a proud mother of two children, including my young son who’s living with asthma and autism. Every day, I worry about the air my son breathes. Families like mine living in my neighborhood, surrounded by pollution, our children are paying the price with their health,” Marta Orellana from Baltimore City said.

“I’m speaking for families with children who struggle, as we just heard with asthma, for industries and households that are contaminated, for farmers whose land is saturated with nitrates that they can barely use; these are not statistics. But these are my neighbors,” Monica Brooks with the NAACP said.

The bill also requires a burden report to be included in an application. This is a baseline understanding of risk, disparities and environmental needs.

“Let me be clear about this bill and what it is and what it is not. The CARES Act is about fairness. Yeah, it’s about transparency, and it’s about making smarter, more responsible decisions when it comes to the environment and our health,” State Sen. Benjamin Brooks (D), the bill’s sponsor, said.

Advocates have been working for months with lawmakers. They agreed to concessions and made the bill more budget-friendly. The legislation has already been heard in the House and Senate, while no vote has been scheduled.

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By Madison Sims

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    CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WRCB) — For two students at Cleveland Middle School who rely on wheelchairs, getting through the school hallways just got a little easier, thanks to a group of their own classmates.

Sixth graders Angel Molina and Angel Diaz navigate the school differently than many of their peers.

The boys’ STEM teacher, Derek Morris, says it was clear the boys wanted to be able to do certain things on their own.

“They’re in wheelchairs, and they want to be independent. It’s like anyone else. Sometimes they get stuck on the door a little bit and have to have some help.”

Looking to change that, one of the school’s paraprofessionals, Betsy Wilis, approached Morris with an idea to make the boys’ travel a little easier: create a tool that would allow them to open doors on their own. She brought the concept to Morris and his STEM class, challenging students to find a real-world solution.

“Our goal for this class is not only just to get them into STEM and excited about it, but also find real-world application.”

They used only materials they had on hand, like scrap wood, cardboard, and a few items students brought from home.

“We started picking up junk and started making stuff,” Morris said.

In just one week, students designed and built six different prototypes of door-opening devices, each aimed at helping Molina and Diaz move more independently through the school.

“They help me open the door,” Molina said.

The impact of the project went beyond functionality. Diaz said it felt good knowing his classmates were working to make his day-to-day life easier.

The project also left a lasting impression on the students who created the devices.

“This was a really good project to help them get through our hallways and hopefully make them better,” said student Braylyn Harmon.

While the tools are still being refined, the effort has already made a difference.

And for Molina and Diaz, it’s one more step toward greater independence and a smoother ride through the school day.

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 Akilah Davis

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    RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) — The Rev. Dr. Robert Turner began a 40-mile march for justice at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday in Warren County, calling the journey to the State Capitol in Raleigh both symbolic and necessary.

By midday, Turner had already covered about 20 miles, walking along U.S. 1 through Youngsville and toward Wake Forest, holding a sign that reads “Reparations Now.”

“I’m cold. My feet are exhausted. I’ve been up since 3 o’clock,” he said during a brief stop.

Around 9:30 p.m., Thompson reached his destination in Raleigh.

Turner said each step is intentional, rooted in a long history of injustice.

“What happened here in 1982 was never repaired for. What happened in 1619 is still not repaired. What happened during Jim Crow is still not repaired,” he said.

The 42-year-old Baltimore pastor acknowledged that he did not train for the grueling distance, but said adrenaline and a deep sense of purpose are carrying him forward. He began the march at a historic marker commemorating the 1982 PCB protests, when Black residents in Warren County opposed the state’s decision to place a toxic waste landfill in their community. The landfill was ultimately built, contaminating the area and helping spark what is widely recognized as the environmental justice movement.

Turner argued that the effects are still being felt.

“There’s a lack of health care, lack of transportation to get to jobs, and continued disinvestment in rural Black communities,” he said. “It’s not too late to make it right.”

Turner has made similar symbolic marches before, including multiple 40-mile walks from Baltimore to the White House, echoing the unfulfilled promise of “40 acres and a mule” issued at the end of the Civil War by Union General William T. Sherman.

He was not entirely alone on this journey. Raleigh pastor the Rev. Larry McDonald of St. Paul AME Church walked alongside him for part of the route, while others, including Associate Minister Bill Kearney, followed in cars to provide support and raise awareness.

“My role has been to meet him, support him along the walk, and help people understand what’s happening today,” Kearney said.

Turner said the response from the public has been unexpectedly positive. Drivers have honked in support, and some have even stopped to check on him.

“A White gentleman pulled over to see if I needed a ride. A police officer did the same,” Turner said. “I was pleasantly surprised because I’ve experienced the worst. I thought I was going to get the worst,” he said.

Turner, a mentee of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, said that he is continuing that legacy following Jackson’s recent death.

“My heart still aches for the family, but his work will never die as long as I’m alive,” Turner said. “I will continue to advocate in his memory.”

Turner said the march was part of a broader effort to raise awareness nationwide, with plans to continue into Virginia next month.

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.