Category: CNN Regional

By Tony Peterson

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — Electric cars are known for being quiet, almost silent.

For those who miss the roar of a muscle car, speakers can be used for effect. The sound from the speakers allegedly got Mike, an electric vehicle motorist, in trouble.

Mike and his car club friends were in downtown Stillwater earlier this year, on their way back home to the cities.

“We were thinking about stopping to get a bite to eat at one of the various pizza places in town,” Mike said.

A group of six cars stopped at the traffic light right across from a gas station. The light turned green.

“Here I am, at the back of the line. I make my way to the front. The light turns red. I stop,” Mike said.

A Minnesota State Patrol trooper, driving in the opposite direction, was also stopped at the light.

“The State Trooper looks at me. I look at him. As he drives by, we make eye contact. He continues, flips, pulls me over,” Mike said.

The car he was driving was a 2025 Dodge Daytona, an electric vehicle. It has a fratzonic chambered sound mechanism.

“You can rev it, but you have to be in park to rev it,” Mike said.

The car is equipped with three modes. The sport mode gives motorists the visceral feeling of an eight-cylinder Muscle car.

“Speakers on the outside and speakers on the rear,” Mike said.

Mike tried to explain the speakers to the trooper, but he wouldn’t listen and issued the citations.

“I didn’t want to argue with him, so I said, ‘I’ll see you in court,'” he said.

Mike has been waiting for a court date since June. The ticket still isn’t in the Washington County court system. In the meantime, a video of the interaction that was posted online has gone viral.

“We didn’t really expect it to blow up overnight. I was heading out to Chicago the very next day … and, like, my phone is blowing up,” he said. “I would hope the trooper realized his mistake and didn’t submit or write up the ticket.”

WCCO has reached out to the Minnesota State Patrol.

Mike says he’s been cited for loud mufflers when he was driving cars with gas engines.

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By Graham Cawthon

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    STATESBORO, Georgia (WJCL) — A Georgia inmate has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted malicious use of explosive materials.

David Dwayne Cassady, 57, constructed and mailed two destructive devices while incarcerated in a Georgia state prison, according to evidence presented in the case.

He was indicted in 2024.

The devices were sent to the U.S. Courthouse in Anchorage, Alaska, and the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

“This defendant’s devices were not only a threat to the recipients, but to every individual that unknowingly transported and delivered them,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will continue to take action against those who seek to harm the public.”

United States District Judge J. Randal Hall sentenced Cassady to 480 months on each count, to be served consecutively, followed by five years of court-ordered supervision.

Federal sentences do not allow for parole.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI Anchorage Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Federal Protective Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Corrections Office of Professional Standards. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin N. Garner and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case in the Southern District of Georgia.

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By Shannon Brinias

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    SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — A late-night theft at the Sonic on East Kings Highway in Shreveport has left employees and customers stunned after surveillance cameras captured two people stealing a Captain Shreve High School mascot sign from the restaurant’s drive-thru.

Video shows a man and woman in a white sedan pulling up to the area and getting out of the car. The woman is seen muscling the large sign off its perch leaving an empty space in the display before the pair drove away.

The theft happened around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 17, just after the restaurant had closed for the night. Photos of the suspects and their car quickly spread on social media, with one post being shared more than 500 times.

Charlotte Jones works at the restaurant, spending her time and money hand-crafting the yellow-jacket and gator mascot signs for Captain Shreve and C.E. Byrd High. She said the theft of the green gator has been a major disappointment.

“I’m pretty sure we probably served these people,” Jones said. “If they had asked me, I would have gladly made one for them. But the fact that they stole it … it just shows a lot about their character.”

The signs were a way of honoring local high schools and were planned to be used in a drink promotion. Now, instead of celebrating, Sonic employees are dealing with the fallout of the theft.

Surveillance images and details have been turned over to police, who are investigating whether the crime is connected to any other burglaries or vandalism in the area. Police have not yet released an update on the investigation.

If you have any information about the missing sign, you can contact Shreveport Police or Caddo Crime Stoppers.

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By Kimber Collins

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    HONOLULU, Hawaii (KITV) — A simple upgrade in Moanalua Valley is showing how Oahu families can play a role in protecting Hawaii’s environment and water future.

Mālama Maunalua, in partnership with the City and County of Honolulu and local nonprofits, installed one of hundreds of rainwater capture systems Monday as part of the Rainwater Capture Incentive Program.

The initiative provides free green infrastructure, including rain barrels, rain gardens, and native landscaping, to up to 300 households island-wide.

How it Works: The rain barrels capture stormwater before it runs off into streets and streams. Instead of carrying pollutants like oil, tire particles, and chemicals straight into the ocean, the water can be reused for home gardens and landscaping.

“For our land program, we have been working with homeowners on what is called green storm infrastructure,” explained Pam Weiant, Director of Science and Planning for Mālama Maunalua. “Pollutants can include brake fluid and tire bits that wash into the ocean untreated. With these systems, that runoff is captured and reused instead.”

Homeowner Curtis Miyashiro says the project helps his family while also protecting reefs.

“I never really thought about that, but it’s true, all of that is going into our ocean, killing our reefs. But yeah, primarily for me, it was to water my plants,” Miyashiro said.

Strong Community Demand: Since applications opened in August, nearly 2,300 households have applied, more than 80% requesting rain barrels. That demand far exceeds the initial 300 homes selected for the pilot.

For those not chosen this round, rain barrels are still an affordable option. They typically cost between $80 to $180, with a $40 rebate available from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Looking Ahead: Organizers say the interest proves how much residents want to take part in solutions. Conversations are already underway about how to expand the program next year and bring rainwater capture to more communities across Oahu.

“Every barrel installed is a step toward cleaner coastlines, healthier reefs, and more resilient neighborhoods,” Weiant said.

About the Partners: The Rainwater Capture Incentive Program is led by Mālama Maunalua in collaboration with the City’s Department of Facility Maintenance, Pono Home, 3Rwater, and several community groups. The project is supported by the Wai Maoli: Hawaiʻi Fresh Water Initiative, Ulupono Initiative, and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

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By Perla Shaheen

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    SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego-based Navy commander is under investigation after social media posts about her LinkedIn profile led to her removal from leadership positions.

Commander Janelle Marra, who has served on active duty in the Navy for 17 years as a doctor and the head of a unit trained to provide medical care during military operations, was notified earlier this month that she was being investigated.

“I don’t care where you work or what you do. Nobody should have to find out that they’ve lost positions via Twitter,” Marra said.

According to Marra’s wife, Cassandra, they didn’t understand what was happening until they saw a post on X from a far-right account called Libs of TikTok. The account had screenshotted Marra’s profile, highlighting her pronouns and job title as Deputy Medical Director for Transgender Healthcare.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reposted the screenshot with the caption: “Pronouns updated: she/her/fired.”

“Why would you repost something like that? It was a little bit terrifying, because we’re still receiving threats and harassment,” Cassandra said.

Cassandra shared a nomination letter from January of last year that includes Marra’s title as “Navy Deputy Medical Officer for the Transgender Health Center” under the Biden administration.

“Nobody ever said, hey we’re dropping this, we’re stopping this, so she kept doing the job,” Cassandra said.

A U.S. Navy official told me that the Transgender Health Center was abandoned during Donald Trump’s presidency. The official said Marra was nominated but not officially appointed to the position.

Cassandra says Marra was expected to start the job once she was nominated.

“She goes into work every single day, still willing to serve this country despite what her country’s done to her,” Cassandra said.

Marra hasn’t been fired and is still working as a physician at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego.

A Navy official says she “was removed from her leadership role due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead pending an investigation of potential violation of Navy social media policy.”

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

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By Jason McNabb

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    TAOS, New Mexico (KOAT) — The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge near Taos, New Mexico, has been closed to pedestrian traffic after a recent surge in suicides, including the death of a 15-year-old boy on Sunday, prompting the New Mexico Department of Transportation to seek a viable solution.

Since the 1960s, the bridge has been a popular spot for tourists and sightseers seeking breathtaking views of the river and canyon below. However, a sign now greets visitors, stating, “Do not stop on the bridge,” and “No walking allowed.” Six people have died by suicide at the bridge in 2025, with half of those occurring in the last three weeks.

Taos County Sheriff Steve Miera previously commented on the situation, saying, “Unfortunately, you have people from all over the state, from all over the country come to jump off this bridge.”

Clarie Miller, the lead coordinator of suicide prevention for the state’s Department of Health, supports the move to close the bridge and hopes it leads to a permanent barrier.

“We know, as recommended by American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, that barriers are the best thing when it comes to bridges. You can look at different states across the country and know that our call boxes were a first step,” Miller said.

However, some visitors expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of a barrier. One visitor remarked, “It’s just going to lead to more fatalities, illness and injuries. It’s going to be decrepit to walk through for our tourists and our local community to look through.”

Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, a public health professor at New Mexico State University, noted the unusual nature of the suicides at the bridge.

“This seems like an emerging copycat kind of suicides where we are looking at possibly a point cluster where a number suicides happen. In a short period of time in a particular space. So this has to be investigated as per the guidelines of CDC and other professional organizations,” he said.

Khubchandani emphasized the rarity of jumpers among the 45,000 suicides annually and the need for mitigation at the bridge, a sentiment echoed by Miller.

“It can be done. We need to do more studies. There was one done in 2018 that the Department of Transportation has on hand and they’re going to be reviewing that to see what we can do. This is one of the last few swing bridges so it is reasonable that significant modifications are going to take a lot of adjustment,” Miller said.

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