Category: CNN Regional

By Nicky Zizaza

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    SPARKS, Maryland (WJZ) — Maryland resident James Riordan assumed the mole on his cheek was harmless until his wife pointed it out and encouraged him to have it examined.

“I pointed it out to my dermatologist, and she probably would’ve seen it anyway,” Riordan said. A few days later, the biopsy came back as melanoma.”

Detecting melanoma

Dr. Kate Viola, a dermatologist at Dermatology Partners in Sparks, Maryland, said Riordan’s story is becoming increasingly common.

“About 100,000 Americans will be diagnosed with a melanoma this year, and over 8,400 of those patients will die,” Viola said.

She said people with a family history of melanoma, fair or light-colored skin, blonde or red hair, and blue or green eyes face a higher risk of developing the cancer. Patients with many moles or atypical moles, and those who are immunocompromised, are also more vulnerable.

Viola advises patients to use the “ABC” method to recognize a possible melanoma.

A is for asymmetry; when one side of a mole does not match the other B is for border; when the edges of a mole appear jagged or blurred C is for color; when a mole shows multiple shades instead of one

Catching cancer early

Riordan said he was shocked to hear the word melanoma because he has had moles all his life. His cancer was caught early, measuring just 0.3 millimeters.

“There was a little part of me that was scared,” Riordan said. “However, when she first called me and told me how deep it was, I knew we had caught it early.”

Although he initially put off the biopsy for a few months, Riordan said he immediately wanted it removed once he got the results.

“I wasn’t in a hurry to get it checked because I didn’t think it was going to be anything,” he said.

“But when I came in and got the results, I wanted it off as soon as possible,” Riordan added.

Now cancer-free, Riordan carries a small scar on his face, which he considers a reminder of a life-saving decision.

“I love that it’s gone,” he said. “It’s well worth getting rid of the cancer.”

Viola said annual skin checks and daily sunscreen use are critical to preventing melanoma.

She stressed that people should not wait if they notice something unusual.

“Don’t put it off,” she said. “If something looks off, get it checked.”

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By Lydia Blackstone

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    SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — A late-night shootout at a short-term rental home in Savannah’s Southside rattled residents earlier this month, as bullets tore through vehicles and pierced into homes — coming just inches from hitting people inside.

The gunfire erupted around 2 a.m. on Sept. 14 outside an Airbnb rental on Whitefield Avenue, where a group of teenagers had gathered for a birthday party, according to a Chatham County Police Department report. Neighbors say they heard far more than the 20 rounds noted in the police report.

One resident, Michael Woodcock, said a stray bullet missed his mother and their dog by mere inches while they were sleeping.

“It was inches — inches away,” Woodcock said. “If it had gone just a little farther, it could have hit my mom or the dog.”

Newly released security footage from the neighborhood shows chaos erupting outside the home. According to the police report, partygoers told officers that a group of about six Black males — not known to them — entered the property and coaxed others outside before shots were fired.

By the time police arrived, the suspects had fled.

In one video clip, a bullet hole can be seen in the back of a parked car, the round having gone entirely through the vehicle. But residents say the greater concern is what happened inside their homes.

A bullet entered another woman’s bedroom while she slept. She was not injured.

The Airbnb, police say, had been rented by a parent, but it was teens who occupied the home the night of the shooting. The property reportedly lacked security cameras, which neighbors argue is part of the problem.

“I wish we could find the specific perpetrators of this crime,” said Woodcock. “But beyond that, we’d like to see Airbnb hold their rentals to a higher standard.”

Airbnb has not responded to requests for comment.

Chatham County Police said the shooting is still under active investigation.

“Discharging a firearm in a residential area is a reckless act that could have devastating consequences,” the department said in a statement. “The people who committed this crime are potentially facing aggravated assault charges – even though there were no injuries.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

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By Madelyn Cooper

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    CHATHAM COUNTY, Georgia (WJCL) — The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has made history with the appointment of its first African American chief deputy in its nearly 300-year history.

McArthur Holmes has been named chief deputy by Sheriff Richard Coleman, marking a major milestone for Georgia’s oldest sheriff’s department.

In a press release, Sheriff Richard Coleman praised Holmes’ appointment, calling it “a testament to his unwavering dedication, integrity, and commitment to serving the citizens of Chatham County.” Holmes’ promotion is being celebrated as not only a personal achievement, but also a significant step forward for leadership within the department.

The pinning ceremony will take place on Tuesday at noon at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.

WJCL 22 News will have updates on air and online following the swearing-in ceremony.

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By Kaitlin Knapp

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    PUNTA GORDA, Florida (WFTX) — A new police report is revealing more details about the arson and hate crime investigation connected to the synagogue attack. According to the suspect’s mother, she told detectives Blake Hoover “has a hatred toward homosexuals and Jewish people that’s become worse over the past years.”

The report said Blake’s mother was watching the news on Sept. 20 about the arson at Chabad of Charlotte County. Details revealed in the news segment led Hoover’s mother to believe her son was responsible based on his previous threats and anti-Semitic statements, the probable cause affidavit said.

Investigators said they discovered evidence of accelerant on the inside and outside walls of the classroom in addition to a broken screen and window at the scene on Sept. 19.

Family members report suspicious behavior On Sept. 22, police got a call from a woman saying her sister had contacted her after seeing the news coverage of the fire. The caller said her sister believed her son, Blake Hoover, was the arsonist.

The sister reported seeing Hoover leave and return to the house with cans of black spray paint the night of the blaze. She also told police that Blake’s mother said he “rants that he hates Jewish people among other people.”

The caller told her sister to contact police, but called herself as a precaution in case Blake’s mother did not report the information.

Mother expresses concerns to deputies On Sept. 22, deputies said they had originally responded to the home for an unrelated hit-and-run investigation. When they arrived to discuss the arson case, Hoover’s mother expressed concerns that her son was responsible.

The mother reported that Blake “has a hatred toward homosexuals and Jewish people that’s become worse over the past years.”

A few days before the fire, the report said Blake asked his mother if she was aware that the old library was now a Jewish school and museum and said he was going to burn it down.

Night of the fire On the night of the fire, the report said Blake told his mother he was going out. She said she noticed a gas can missing from the garage after he left.

The mother called him and begged him not to burn anything down. She said he was barefoot when he came home, holding a spray can, and went to bed.

When she checked the garage, documents said Blake’s mother found the gas can had been returned but was empty. When questioned the next morning, Blake said he “just sprayed the letter J, not a big deal.”

The mother said Blake always refers to Jewish people as “Js.”

“I felt in my gut that my son did it,” she told investigators.

After seeing details on the news, she became more convinced Blake was responsible because she had seen him leave the house with a can of spray paint. When she asked what it was for, the report said Blake didn’t answer her.

Mother’s investigation Concerned about her son’s involvement, the mother said she drove to the Jewish center on Henry Street to look for his car and check for anything suspicious the night of the fire. She said it was dark and she didn’t see his car.

License plate reader data showed Blake’s car traveling west on Mariona Avenue at Marlympia Way on Sept. 19 at 10:19 p.m., the report said.

He was arrested for arson and criminal mischief.

Blake Hoover had a first appearance on Sept. 23. A judge scheduled a pre-trial detention hearing, but at this time, Hoover is being held without bond for the arson charge. His bond for the criminal mischief is $25,000.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WFTX’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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By Jeanette Bent

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    SALINAS, California (KION) — Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies say that around 8:30 p.m. Sunday night, they arrested a man for possession of three firearms, including a loaded .45 caliber pistol, an AR pistol carbine, and a Japanese Type 11 light machine gun.

A deputy was patrolling the Castroville community when they saw a vehicle wrong-way in the middle of the street.

After a traffic stop near Poole and McDougal streets — and with the assistance of another deputy and his K9 Partner “Rocket” — deputies were alerted to the presence of controlled substances.

The female driver along with a male passenger were told that deputies needed to search the vehicle.

“A search of the vehicle revealed the presence of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia,” according to the Sheriff’s Office. “During the search, deputies discovered a loaded 1911 A-1 pistol. The pistol was found within hands reach of where the passenger was seated and inches from where deputies had been standing during the contact.”

A further search resulted in the discovery of a loaded AR pistol carbine and a Japanese Type 11 light machine gun, according to deputies. They also said that two of the weapons did not have serial numbers.

Deputies continued to investigate and found that 42-year-old Brian Richard Knabb is a convicted felon from Pacific Grove, and was attempting to sell the light machine gun.

“This is a WWII era type of machine gun capable of firing over 500 rounds per minute. It’s a weapon of war,” said Sheriff Tina Nieto. “It’s a weapon of mass destruction.”

Brian Richard Knabb was booked into the Monterey County Jail for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of an unserialized firearm and other charges, deputies say.

Deputies say that his bail was set at $50,000, and the female driver was cited and released for possession of a controlled substance.

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By Logan Smith

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    DENVER (KCNC) — Denver detectives recently connected a Missouri man to a 2004 sexual assault in Denver by secretly swooping in after the suspect’s meal and gathering his utensils for DNA testing.

Using a successful match between material on the utensils and two-decade-old evidence collected from the assault, 52-year-old Jason Groshart was sentenced last week to 32 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Groshart avoided trial by pleading guilty in July to one count each of felony kidnapping and sexual assault.

The details of the attack are chilling. On March 30, 2004, the female victim left her job early with a migraine headache and fell asleep at home on her bed. She was awakened by her dog’s barking. Her attacker, later identified as Groshart, was already in her bedroom, according to a case document.

The man placed her wrists in handcuffs behind her back, put a bag over her head and put the dog in the closet.

The woman fought with him at the outset of the attack, according to the arrest affidavit, and kicked at Groshart. Groshart then placed a handgun under her chin and asked, “Is this worth dying for?”

Following the assault, Groshart demanded with woman shower with him, per the affidavit. He then placed all of the used bath towels and bed linens in a trash bag and left with them.

The victim recalled to investigators that her attacker said she should not have left her alarm system off, and that he had committed this type of offense previously. He also unplugged the victim’s home phone on his way out the door, according to prosecutors.

Evidence from the attack was gathered from stains on her robe and a sexual assault examination kit.

The DNA collected, however, did not immediately match any existing profile on police databases, and the case went cold.

Until 2022.

In March of that year, the Denver Police Department and Denver Crime Lab reopened the investigation. Through genetic genealogy DNA research, a tool used by Denver’s Integrated Cold Case Project, a possible connection to Groshart was established.

By that time, Groshart was living in Sedalia, Missouri.

Conclusive evidence was still needed.

A Denver Police Department spokesman, Matt Jablow, told CBS Colorado that “Groshart’s DNA was surreptitiously collected from abandoned eating utensils.”

No other details about that evidence collection were provided.

Groshart was arrested in October 2022, less than two weeks after the DNA samples were sent to the Denver Crime Lab for analysis.

“The arrest of Groshart demonstrates our commitment to victims of crime and that the Denver Police Department never forgets,” said then-Denver Chief of Police Ron Thomas in a statement.

“It’s hard to imagine the terror the victim felt during and after this horrific crime, and it is my hope that this significant sentence gives her some sense of comfort that Jason Groshart will likely never be able to victimize anyone else ever again,” stated Denver District Attorney John Walsh in a press release announcing Groshart’s sentencing on Wednesday.

The genetic genealogy testing was partially funded by a federal grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a U.S. Department of Justice program.

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By Reeves Jackson

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    DEKALB COUNTY, Georgia (WXIA) — A massive federal drug bust in metro Atlanta last week ended with five suspects behind bars and more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine off the streets.

Federal agents said law enforcement seized meth from an apartment and a nearby home in DeKalb County that was linked to the violent Mexican cartel known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG.

“Within just a few days, undercover investigations in the metro Atlanta area led to the seizure of more than half a ton of methamphetamine, the arrests of four illegal aliens allegedly responsible for distributing those deadly drugs, and the disruption of two drug trafficking rings,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said.

According to prosecutors, the investigation began Sept. 15 when Wilber Castellanos Villazana allegedly sold a kilogram of meth to an undercover DEA agent at an apartment complex. Investigators said they later saw Castellanos Villazana making more deals from a car in the same area.

The next day, DEA agents watched Castellanos Villazana, along with Yamilet Calixto Sotelo and Jorge Lorenzo Manzanarez, loading large black trash bags into a vehicle. A search of the car and apartment uncovered about 730 pounds of meth.

Just two days later, agents said Esteban Jacobo-Suarez and Damien Gomez-Guijarro sold another kilogram to undercover agents at a Stone Mountain gas station. A follow-up search of a nearby home turned up an additional 290 pounds of meth, a gun and $12,000 in cash.

In case you were wondering, more than 1,000 pounds of meth is about equivalent to $1.5 million.

“The CJNG cartel is a significant threat to public safety, public health, and the national security of the United States,” said Robert J. Murphy, the special agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA will target every level of their supply chain to disrupt and destroy their networks.”

All five suspects, who the DOJ said are Mexican nationals, were charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Four of them, including Jacobo-Suarez, who had been deported twice before, are in the U.S. illegally, authorities said.

A 34-year-old woman, who was supposed to have a bond hearing about two weeks ago that got canceled, was arrested in Gwinnett County back in July for trafficking the second-largest fentanyl haul ever caught by law enforcement in the state of Georgia, according to prosecutors.

The woman, Celia Lara Rios, also allegedly has ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. It’s unclear when her new bond hearing date will be.

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By Donesha Aldridge

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WXIA) — Cardi B fans showed out in metro Atlanta Monday to greet the rap star as she promotes her new album, “Am I the Drama?”

The event was held at DBS Sounds in Riverdale, where hundreds spread across the parking lot as they waited with the hopes of seeing the rapper. Cardi B released her long-awaited second album on Sept. 19.

Fans were encouraged ahead of time to pre-order the album on the store’s website to secure an RSVP and wristband for entry. The event was part of Cardi B’s nationwide in-store promo tour, where she is returning to old-school marketing to connect directly with fans.

“She has a really strong fanbase and people want to come and see her and show her support and let her know she’s loved in Atlanta,” fan Chrissy Arriaga said.

Another fan said she had been outside since 9 a.m., waiting to see Cardi B.

“It makes me feel pumped,” she said, describing the music artist’s hit records.

She’s also been in the spotlight recently after announcing the news on CBS Mornings last week that she was pregnant, expecting a baby with her boyfriend and NFL player Stefon Diggs.

She’s planning to hit the road next year, with her “Little Miss Drama Tour” that will kick off in February in Palm Desert, California. The tour is expected to wrap up on April 17, right here in Atlanta.

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