Category: CNN Regional

By TJ Eckert

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    BIXBY, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Former Glenpool Assistant Superintendent Kim Coody, now Bixby Assistant City Manager, addressed the 2024 party involving underage drinking at her house that led to her resignation.

It’s a story we broke in 2024. A graduation party at Coody’s house where another parent complained about underage drinking.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education investigated, witnesses told investigators the house had a stocked mini fridge of alcohol.

Coody addressed the incident in a Facebook post for the first time on June 9, and on that allegation said, “Before guests arrived, I checked our refrigerators to ensure there was no alcohol on the property.

Coody later added, “To be clear, I did not provide alcohol, nor did I give anyone permission to drink on my property.”

Coody resigned her position as assistant superintendent at Glenpool and eventually had her teacher’s license suspended by OSDE. Later, it was reinstated.

2 News Oklahoma obtained this 911 call from the night of that party after a student didn’t make it home.

911 operator: “911, what’s your emergency?”

Caller: “I’m looking for a kid that I haven’t seen since 6:00 yesterday.”

Coody, in her statement, addressed that as well, saying she took what she believed to be the students’ keys, but that “he had given me the wrong set.” She goes on to say, “I immediately notified the parent I had been in contact with that he had driven away while intoxicated.”

2 News talked with Coody on the phone after she posted on Facebook, and asked if she wanted to do an on-camera interview. She said she’d rather stick with that post as her official statement.

We asked the city of Bixby about this incident the day before.

The city said in their statement that Coody’s administrative leave is due to “events surrounding Joey Wiedel that took place several weeks ago in a prior incident.”

2 News anchor TJ Eckert asked the city about that statement.

TJ: “Can you explain what that means just so I can understand?”

Bobby Schultz, acting mayor of Bixby: “Well not really. We’re to the point that that’s the statement we can…that’s the only statement we can use at this point.”

Coody closed her post by saying “I understand there will be criticism, but if you choose to criticize me, please do so based on the facts.

Here is Coody’s full Facebook statement:

“For the last week, I have seen many comments about me based on inaccurate information. I want to share the facts.

In May 2024, my daughter invited 12 graduates to our home to swim after their graduation celebration. The graduates arrived after midnight. My expectation was that everyone would stay the night because we live on dark rural roads approximately 25 miles from Glenpool. I LOCKED the gate AS I did not want teenagers driving in the early morning hours.

Before guests arrived, I checked our refrigerators to ensure there was no alcohol on the property. My daughter knew our family rules and has acknowledged that she broke them by allowing friends to bring alcohol. The photos currently being circulated were taken by guests. From where I was in the house, I could not see the tables shown in those photos.

I take full responsibility for what happens on my property. I trusted my daughter, and like many teenagers, she made a poor decision.

After 3:00am, three boys arrived after being invited by another guest. One entered my home carrying a beer. When I asked where it came from, he told me it was from his truck. I immediately POURED the beer OUT. When he told me he had driven there, I asked for his keys and he handed me a set. The boys had been drinking at one of their graduation parties hosted by his parents prior to arriving at my house.

I contacted the parent of one of the intoxicated boys and informed her that her son was at my home intoxicated and needed to be picked up. I stayed with him until his father arrived. He was was not unconscious, he was extremely drunk, he would respond. Neither I nor his father believed he was experiencing a medical emergency, and his father did not seek medical treatment after picking him up.

The boy who later received a DUI had parked outside my locked gate. When I took what I believed were his keys, he had given me the wrong set. After he left, I immediately notified the parent I had been in contact with that he had driven away while intoxicated.

The father who picked up his son declined to take the third boy with him and instructed him to wait in a ditch along a dark two-lane road until his ride arrived. I believed that was unsafe and brought him inside the gate to wait where he would be safer.

To be clear: I did not provide alcohol, nor did I give anyone permission to drink on my property. As soon as I became aware alcohol was present, I poured it out, took keys, contacted parents, and worked to keep everyone safe.

For 27 years, I have dedicated my life to caring for children, and that night was no different. I accept responsibility for trusting that the rules of our home would be followed, and our family has taken steps to ensure nothing like this can happen again. I take responsibility that I was not more diligent in monitoring the activities outside.

My teaching certificate was suspended by Ryan Walters, I never surrendered it. My certificate was later reinstated by the Oklahoma Department of Education and I hold a valid certificate.

For two years, I remained silent because I believed that those who know me know my character, and those who do not know me may never be convinced otherwise. That silence ends today.

Once I became aware of the situation, I took immediate action to stop the underage drinking, contact parents, remove alcohol, take keys, and protect the safety of the young people involved.

I understand there will be criticism, but if you choose to criticize me, please do so based on the facts.”

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 Stef Manchen

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    JAY, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Bob Kuningas’s life on the lake only started two years ago, but as soon as he moved in, he heard about the goats.

Legend says that there was a drought in the 1950s, and the goats walked over to the island. When the water returned, the 15-acre island became their home.

“When we bought the house two years ago, some of the people asked if we’d seen the goats, and at that time, there were only two of them left,” said Kuningas.

Kuningas’s home is only 300 feet across the lake from the island. He’s learned Goat Island is a beloved part of Grand Lake culture.

“I’ve had grandparents say that they remember when they were kids, they’ve seen goats on Goat Island. People, I was a kid, and my parents or my grandparents took me there to play with the goats.”

The final two goats died from old age about a year after the Kuningas’s moved in.

When he let the community know, Kuningas said it was overwhelming, everyone saying they needed to get goats back on the island.

“I was just like ‘hey, the goats passed away,’ and people said ‘let’s get them back,’ so my wife and I said, ‘okay lets do it,'” he said. “I was contacted by Steve Roads, who owns the Tow Boat USA here on Grand Lake, and he donated the first money to buy the first goats. After that, Facebook did Facebook.”

Two goats became a herd of seven on the island. All of the goats were donated by members of the community.

Since getting the goats back, Kuningas said he has people stop him all the time, asking how they can help and sharing childhood memories about the island.

“I’ve had grandparents say that they remember when they were kids, they’ve seen goats on Goat Island,” he said. “It’s just something extra on the lake. It’s something free that everyone can be part of, and ‘hey, those are my goats too.’”

While he and his grandson Titus go over and feed the goats every other day, there’s no shortage of support to keep the island going. Kuningas said businesses and neighbors all over are reaching out for ways to help.

“I asked if somebody wanted to help, I’d appreciate a little help, especially in the winter with feeding and stuff,” he said. “I didn’t expect the whole community saying hey yeah, let’s do it.”

As someone with a passion for animals and a background working with wildlife, this was about preserving something special on the lake for Kuningas.

The lake’s reaction was just a bonus.

“I didn’t know I was touching them in this manner, and it feels good that I’ve actually found something to really give back to the community,” he said. “I didn’t know it was going to mean so much to so many different people.”

It is a public island on GRDA property that anyone can visit and spend time with the goats.

While they’re starting with seven right now, there could be new additions come next year.

“When they kid, we’ll watch, we’ll keep an eye on them,” he said. “If we get more than we think the island can hold, we can move them, we can find them new homes. GRDA has already told us that maybe we can move to another island with some of them. So we’ve got plans.”

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 Mike Holden

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    CLEVELAND (WEWS) — A Cuyahoga County councilman is introducing new legislation aimed at preventing violence and protecting children by banning the sale of novelty lighters designed to look like firearms.

The proposal, known as the “Tamir Rice Act,” will be formally introduced Tuesday evening before the Cuyahoga County Council.

The legislation is named in honor of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old who was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer in 2014 while holding a pellet gun.

Under the proposed ordinance, retailers throughout Cuyahoga County would be prohibited from selling or displaying novelty lighters that resemble pistols, rifles, shotguns, or other firearms.

Businesses found in violation of the law could face fines of up to $500 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for repeat violations.

The legislation is being sponsored by Michael J. Houser Sr., who says the products create unnecessary confusion and pose a public safety risk.

“This is a dangerous item, period,” Houser said. “We want to take these off the streets of Cuyahoga County.”

Houser added that realistic gun-shaped lighters can easily be mistaken for actual guns, particularly when carried in public.

“If you’re walking down the street with this in your hand, if the cap comes off, it could be a serious issue,” Houser said. “We’re just trying to make sure young people are protected.”

The idea for the legislation came after Myesha Watkins, administrator of the Cuyahoga County Office of Violence Prevention, discovered realistic-looking gun-shaped lighters being sold at a local beauty supply store while she was shopping for hair products with her daughters.

After learning about the products, Houser then visited the store, spoke with an employee, and purchased the remaining inventory.

He said the worker agreed not to order additional gun-shaped lighters.

Watkins says the issue with the gun-shaped lighters extends beyond the lighters themselves.

She says it centers on the potential harm caused when imitation firearms are mistaken for real weapons.

“It’s not really about the lighter,” Watkins said. “It’s about the harm that the lighter being shaped as a firearm can cause in communities that are most impacted by gun violence.”

She also noted that people would be unable to distinguish the novelty item from an actual firearm, depending on how it was positioned and where it was located on your body.

“If I’m holding this in my hands, you cannot tell if it is real or fake,” Watkins said.

Supporters of the legislation say the measure is designed to reduce risk, prevent potentially dangerous misunderstandings, and honor Tamir Rice’s legacy.

The proposal is being introduced during June’s National Gun Violence Awareness Month and has the support of Tamir’s mother, Samaria Rice.

In a statement supporting the legislation, Rice said:

“When objects are designed to be indistinguishable from real weapons, they create unnecessary and life-threatening confusion — a burden that falls heaviest on urban communities and families of color. No parent should have to bury their child because of preventable circumstances. Tamir represents the humanity and innocence of all children. I support this legislation in his name, and in the name of every child, all of whom deserve to grow up safely.”

If approved, the ordinance would take effect 30 days after it passes.

Houser said he hopes the Tamir Rice Act could eventually serve as a model for communities across Ohio and potentially inspire national laws.

Cuyahoga County Council is scheduled to consider the proposal during its meeting on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

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 Frederick Sutton Sinclair

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Nearly a week after City Council rejected Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s proposed ride-hailing tax, she announced a plan Wednesday to preserve 340 school-based positions that had been slated to be eliminated under the School District of Philadelphia’s proposed budget.

Parker said the district faces a $300 million deficit because of federal COVID-19 relief funds that expired in September 2024. The mayor had proposed filling that gap with what she described as predictable, recurring revenue through taxes on ride-hailing services, hotels and short-term rentals.

After City Council preliminarily approved Parker’s $7.1 billion budget without the proposed taxes, City Council agreed to provide the district with a one-time $48 million infusion. Initially, Superintendent Tony Watlington said the $48 million would not be enough to preserve those jobs, according to a letter obtained by CBS News Philadelphia. That seems to have changed.

On Wednesday, Parker and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson announced an agreement to identify a locally generated, recurring revenue source that would provide the district with $50 million annually over the next five years, preserving 340 school-based roles.

“The 340 school-based cuts are off the table,” Watlington said.

City officials said the people in the positions that were slated to be eliminated would have been reassigned to other vacant roles within the district.

The city has already committed to providing the funding for the upcoming fiscal year, which runs through June 30, 2027. Officials said they will work to identify a predictable, recurring revenue source before the next budget.

If a new revenue stream is not secured by next year, officials said the city could draw from $216 million in potential savings identified over the next five years as a backup plan.

City Council is expected to give the budget final approval on Thursday.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is expected to thank the mayor during a news conference Thursday morning.

Parker also said during Wednesday’s press conference that she, Johnson and other officials also plan to ask lawmakers in Harrisburg for more state money for the school district, including to modernize some buildings.

Eva Andersen contributed to this report.

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By Naveen Dhaliwal

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    ROCKLAND COUNTY, New York (WCBS) — Dozens of young girls unexpectedly emerged from a drain in the patio of a Rockland County restaurant Wednesday after taking an unauthorized trek underground.

Nyack Mayor Joe Rand said the girls were on a school trip visiting Nyack Memorial Park when they entered a massive drainage tunnel, which collects much of the village’s stormwater runoff.

“They saw the culvert, they saw the cave, and they thought, let’s go take a look, see what’s there,” he said. “And they started walking, and they just kept walking and walking and walking.”

The mayor says the group traveled roughly half a mile through the dark culvert on rocks and uneven terrain before safely finding an exit at Hudson House restaurant, surprising restaurant owner Matt Hudson.

“I was in the office when I heard kids chattering,” Hudson said. “I was like, where is that coming from?”

He was astonished to find the young girls climbing out of a drain over a creek in the courtyard behind his restaurant.

“Sure enough, we came back here into the patio, looked here, and it was filling up with kids,” he said. “They were fine, but they were excitedly talking. They were happy to be getting out of here.”

“Everybody was safe, and I’m so grateful for that. I’m grateful for the first responders,” Rand said. “But it was dangerous, they shouldn’t have been doing it. Because … we could’ve gotten rain this afternoon, and if it rains, this thing gets much more powerful, and the water could have really picked up on them.”

The mayor said he will be reviewing safety measures at the culvert site and is reminding residents and visitors that drainage culverts are not for recreational use.

For Hudson, it’s a day he won’t forget.

“We’ve been here almost 36 years,” he said. “We thought we saw it all, but no, no, there are still some surprises here.”

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By Breana Pitts

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Garlic mustard might look like an innocent wildflower, but conservationists say it’s one of the most invasive plants in Massachusetts.

Despite its serrated leaves, delicate white flower and unmistakable scent, garlic mustard is on the state’s Prohibited Plant List.

“It’s like wildfire,” said Lisey Good, founder of Wild Cohasset, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring native habitats and removing invasive species. “I hate garlic mustard so much.”

The biennial plant, originally brought to New England by European settlers hundreds of years ago as a food source and herbal remedy, has since become a major ecological threat. While some people still use garlic mustard in salads, soups, and pesto, the plant can quickly overwhelm forests and crowd out native species. Good said each stem has “tons of seeds in there.”

“This plant might have 7,000 seeds,” she told WBZ-TV. “Next year this plant will die, but all around it will be 7,000 new baby garlic mustards.”

That’s why Good founded Wild Cohasset in 2015. As garlic mustard spreads, it pushes out native plants that local wildlife, like ruby-throated hummingbirds and butterflies, depend on for survival.

“They’re putting out a kind of chemical warfare,” she said. “It’s a poison that’s similar to cyanide, but it’s not harmful to humans. It’s just a mild amount. But it’s enough to change the soil chemistry so that nothing else can grow around it.”

Recently, Cohasset High School seniors helped Good remove the plant from Wheelwright Park.

“I play at the baseball fields, I’ve been around here awhile, so I just want to make sure it’s going to be here, be healthy for the next generation,” said senior Ronan Carnes.

“We should stop it while it’s just one weed, rather than like 7,000,” added fellow senior Emma Lee.

Timing is critical when it comes to garlic mustard removal. Experts recommend pulling the plant as early in the spring as possible, once the ground has thawed. May is often the easiest time to identify garlic mustard because its distinctive white flowers are in bloom.

The goal is to remove the plants before they set seed. After about June 20, conservationists say the risk increases dramatically. The seeds can spill from the stems during removal and spread to new areas.

Garlic mustard often spreads when people remove it from their yards and place it in compost piles. Seeds end up at municipal compost sites, transfer stations, or in community mulch piles, where they’re unknowingly redistributed and introduced to new areas.

Instead, experts recommend bagging the plants and throwing them in the trash.

For Good, the work is about more than removing a weed. It’s about helping people understand the connection between plants, wildlife, and healthy ecosystems.

“It’s so gratifying to see that people learn what to do,” she said. “People are planting more native plants in their yards for wildlife, and I think people have really started to understand the connection between plants and the creatures that live with us.”

There may also be a natural solution on the horizon.

Good points to a native wildflower called golden ragwort, which pollinators love, and researchers have found can successfully compete with garlic mustard. She recommends planting it in areas where garlic mustard has taken hold.

“It’s something people can do that tangibly helps birds and butterflies and bees and whole forests,” she said.

More information on removing garlic mustard can be found here.

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By Mike Sullivan

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Scotland will play in the first World Cup match at Boston Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts Saturday night, but many of their fans are already in town and fired up.

Several landed at Logan Airport Wednesday dressed in uniform, ready for the games. Some Scottish fans crossed the pond in a kilt for the entire flight. It’s part of their ethos. They are known for three things, those kilts, their chants, and their drinking.

“Been drinking since one o’clock in the morning when I got up,” said David Wood as he arrived.

“We ran out of beer, that was my only complaint,” Darren Wilson said of his flight. “We had a round of applause when we landed. I don’t know if you do that here. That’s a very Scottish thing.”

The pilot on his flight told WBZ-TV when the beer ran out, they switched to wine.

“I’m going to go have a nice whiskey at my digs, then I’m going go about the town,” said Wood, holding up a bag with a large whiskey bottle. “I’m going to find Cheers. That’s what I want do. I want to find Cheers. I watched it when I was younger, and I want to find the bar.”

It’s the spot where everyone knows your name, but by the end of the weekend, Boston will know the Scots, especially by their attire. Graham Howieson and his two sons wore their kilts on the flight here.

“It’s a bit hot and sweaty,” said Howieson. “It’s a bit uncomfortable, but we wanted to represent Scotland didn’t we.”

Fans showed up ready for the match against Haiti Saturday with some shelling out thousands of dollars to see the team play in the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

“When they first went on sale they were about 1,200 (British pounds). Now they aren’t selling and are down to $500,” said Allan Begg who has tickets for a Scotland match.

Carole McNamara bought her tickets online, and it turned out to be a scam. She is out more than $1,300, but she and her family are finding ways to have fun without going to the game.

“We got scammed is what it is, but we are still smiling,” said McNamara. “We are going to the fan zones, and we got tickets to one of the pubs.”

She’s lucky to be in Boston. Some fans struggled to get into the states after their visa waiver applications switched from approved to pending or rejected in the process known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

“Checking every day just in case. Loads of people spent thousands of thousands of pounds and you can’t get your money back,” said McNamara. “When you waited 28 years, it’s a kick in the teeth.”

“We were talking to some guys in the pub last night, and they were all nervous too,” said Howieson.

“There’s been a lot on social media, a lot of people getting knocked back and not getting across and stuff, so it has been a bit of an eyeopener, but we’re here now, just about outside, so we are nearly on American soil,” said Scotland fan Justin Longmuir.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol told WBZ-TV in a statement, in part, “ESTAs are continuously vetted and travelers must be complete and truthful. Failure to disclose arrests or convictions constitutes misrepresentation and can lead to ESTA denial, revocation or a permanent bar from entering the United States.”

The French national team also landed at Logan Airport Wednesday afternoon. Fans packed Boylston Street trying to get autographs and photos of players as they entered the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston.

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.