Category: CNN Regional

By Patrick Talbot

Click here for updates on this story

    NORMAN, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Human remains potentially dating back 120 years were discovered Thursday on the University of Oklahoma campus at the future site of the university’s Life Science Laboratories building, leading to an immediate halt in construction and notification of law enforcement.

Jessica Cerezo-Roman, an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at OU, explained the significance of such discoveries.

“By finding the remains, we can tell a lot about the story of who these people are. If the remains are well-preserved, or even if they’re not well-preserved, we can tell many things and the stories about them,” Cerezo-Roman said.

The University of Oklahoma stated that work was stopped immediately upon the discovery, and law enforcement was notified.

The state’s medical examiner’s office classified the remains as nonforensic, indicating no criminal investigation is necessary. Its anthropologist is on-site but has waived jurisdiction, allowing the state’s archaeologist to take over the investigation.

Cerezo-Roman spoke of the importance of archaeological expertise in handling such discoveries.

“It requires the technical expertise of archaeologists to carefully document how they are found in the ground and carefully remove them,” Cerezo-Roman said.

The University of Oklahoma expressed its commitment to ensuring the remains are handled with care, dignity and respect.

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 KABC Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    EAST HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — New, bizarre video shows a naked man running through the scene of a serious crash in East Hollywood.

Los Angeles police say the streaking man seen in the video was driving one of the two vehicles involved in the crash.

It happened on Thursday afternoon at Normandie Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood. Multiple people were injured, according to LAPD.

The man fled the scene after the crash, baring all and running down the street to the shock of bystanders. It was all caught on video.

“He’s the one that caused the accident. He was going through a red light. He ran, ran out of the vehicle naked. He was on drugs. It looked like he was homeless,” said witness Ramondo Taylor.

Police said one person was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The naked man was eventually arrested, and officers believe he was under the influence. He could possibly be charged with felony hit-and-run and DUI.

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 Aaron Thomas

Click here for updates on this story

    CINCINNATI (WLWT) — As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina prepares to end, top international para-athletes are preparing for the spotlight at next month’s Paralympic Games.

A team of University of Cincinnati engineering students is working behind the scenes to develop innovative devices for adaptive athletes, putting final touches on a warming system designed for competitors with prosthetic limbs.

These tools aim to help athletes avoid issues with equipment and prevent further injury, particularly during extreme weather events.

“Being in mechanical engineering, I never saw myself learning to sew,” Ethan Edelenbos said.

As one of the students on the design team, Edelenbos has spent months developing a compression sleeve-style warming device. It’s designed to secure comfortably to a residual limb without relying on a single restrictive band.

Athletes with amputations can face significant challenges in winter sports, where residual limbs are exposed to cold temperatures. Students said maintaining warmth helps reduce discomfort and the risk of injury during competition.

The design team, dubbed “Bearcat Bobsled,” will have its work tested at a national competition hosted at Virginia Tech in April. The event is organized by Project S.E.R.V.E., a nonprofit that partners with university engineering programs to develop customized devices for veterans with amputations.

For Joe Robbins, this is more than a capstone project to graduate.

“It’s more about making an impact, actually contributing something to a needed community,” Robbins said.

UC’s team will compete against 11 other universities developing similar products.

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 Jansen

Click here for updates on this story

    DAVENPORT, Iowa (KCCI) — What started as a gift from her great-grandmother has grown into a Guinness World Records title for a Quad Cities collector.

Cammie Pohl’s Mississippi Spoon Gallery in Davenport now holds more than 38,000 spoons, the largest spoon collection in the world, according to Guinness.

The Mississippi Spoon Gallery, 902 East River Drive, has just been crowned the Guinness World Record’s Largest Spoon Collection.

The owners say their collection of spoons pays tribute to America’s 250 years of history and the history of the Quad Cities area.

“A lot of displays go in, some displays go out,” said Pohl. “When you have over 38,000 spoons, I can only hang approximately, a little over 9,000, maybe 10,000 in the gallery.”

For Pohl, her collection began 36 years ago when her great-grandmother gifted her with her first spoon set, before she left to serve our country.

Pohl said her great-grandmother told her “not to open them until either I got married or bought my first home.”

She stored the boxes before leaving for basic training, and when she returned from the Army and bought her first home two years later, her great-grandmother had already passed away.

“When I got to open up those boxes, I got to celebrate her life all over again,” Pohl said.

A full-circle moment, as Pohl says, because spoons represent a beginning.

“It was the first utensil ever made,” Pohl said.

And spoons are part of stories in our country’s history.

“The souvenir spoon craze didn’t hit here in America until 1891 after the Salem Witch Spoon was actually made and that’s what started the whole craze here in America,” Pohl said.

And Pohl’s collection even highlights the Quad Cities’ history.

“I have the Tri-Cities spoons, before we became the Quad Cities,” Pohl said. “I have Chief Blackhawk spoons. Chief Blackhawk was born over in Rock Island on the cliffs of the Rock River.”

For Pohl, what began as a gifted set of spoons has quickly grown into a passionate pursuit to display our nation’s history.

The Mississippi Spoon Gallery opened in August 2023 and has brought in visitors from near and far.

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 Andres Valle

Click here for updates on this story

    TRUCKEE, California (KCRA) — The town of Truckee gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor the nine backcountry skiers who died in an avalanche in Nevada County.

Tears streamed over a candle-lit plaza in downtown Truckee as hundreds came together on Sunday evening.

“The families carrying those losses bear a weight that is unbearable,” said Courtney Henderson, Truckee’s vice mayor.

The vigil was held in front of the eagle statue, drawing a large crowd.

Mercie Galvin, an attendee, said, “Just hearing the helicopters the last couple of days with, you know, recovery, it’s just a lot of noise that breaks your heart.”

“It’s just it’s so sad. And we’re really sorry for the families and the survivors. It’s just really tragic,” said Linda Williams.

The emotional impact was palpable, as one attendee noted, “The energy levels are just not the same.”

Many wrote messages over nine hearts, each representing a victim.

“I’m sure that they are leaving an amazing legacy behind for their children and their husbands, and all the rest of their friends. It’s just really tough,” said Sue Ireland.

The vigil included a local church choir singing “Amazing Grace” and a moment of silence.

Through community support, Truckee is proving that no one should grieve alone.

“Grief has a way of making us feel very small and very isolated. My deepest hope for tonight is that you feel the opposite,” said Henderson.

Dozens left candles and flowers at the memorial, and the vigil also paid respects to other skiers killed at nearby resorts, as well as the attack on the Tahoe Titans.

As we’ve reported, 15 people have died on the Tahoe area slopes this year. That includes five unrelated deaths at ski resorts and a January avalanche in the Castle Peak area.

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 Sam Smith, Nicholas Gallo

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW MEXICO (KOAT) — Professional hockey is returning to New Mexico after 17 years, as the New Mexico Goatheads announced their NHL affiliation with the Colorado Avalanche, drawing over 2,000 fans to Rio Rancho for the celebration. The announcement was made Saturday, Feb. 21.

According to the ECHL, the agreement establishes a formal player development partnership, creating a clear pathway for players to advance within the Avalanche system while bringing professional hockey back to New Mexico.

“The timing of the affiliation worked out perfectly,” Goatheads General Manager Jared Johnson said. “Outside of the name, probably the second-biggest secret we’ve had to keep in the last six months.”

Johnson also said the Colorado Avalanche were the only team the Goatheads talked to, as they were looking for a new team in the ECHL due to their current team’s relocation at the end of the year.

“It’s a close affiliation, you know,” said Mike Battaglia, who is head of U.S. scouting for the Colorado Avalanche. “It’s a fresh start with hockey here and for us.”

The partnership aims to develop players for the next level. “It’s a way for us to bring more prospects in and have a little more time with all of them,” Battaglia said.

The team plans to bring a consistent style to their play, emphasizing speed and competitiveness. “We like to play fast and we like to be competitive,” Battaglia said. “Those are two huge things for us. The only way players get better is by playing, and that’s a big piece, and winning. Hopefully we can establish that environment here.”

The team also announced their mascot Billy as he energized the crowd, which has been eager to watch competitive hockey. While the possibility of hosting a preseason game with the Avalanche was discussed, the Goatheads’ general manager indicated it likely won’t happen this year but could occur in 2027.

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 Paul Burton

Click here for updates on this story

    BOSTON (WBZ) — A Black artist is highlighting the achievements of African Americans and their role in United States history through art for Black History Month.

Behind each of George Freeman’s paintings is the story of a person who never gave up, even in the face of immense discrimination, violence, and death. He describes his style as street art on canvas, focusing on subject matter that resonates throughout generations and paying homage to those who led the way.

“I grew up in that comic book era, where it’s an exaggerated feature era. It’s taking these styles and putting it in the historical context of specific people I want to show as superhero-like,” he said.

Freeman said today’s social climate inspired him to do the “Freedom Fighters” exhibit, which celebrates the heroes of the Black community in a unique way.

“A lot of history is being challenged in a way almost kind of washed away and to be honest this history is going to help us move forward because we are dealing with a lot things that we dealt with in the past and they also do give us the blueprint on how to move forward and how to make a better society,” he said. “To go on a learning journey. More impactful now and need these lessons these historical figures have given us or it will all be in vain.”

He has painted Ella Baker, Martin Luther King Jr., Shirley Chisholm, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Harriet Tubman. Inside each piece are little lessons that describe who each person was.

“These are people that inspire me every day,” Freeman said.

Freeman’s collection is open to the public and on display at The Muse on Blue Avenue in Dorchester on February 28. He is donating part of the proceeds from his art back to the community.

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 Josh Taylor

Click here for updates on this story

    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Friday was “Pim Neill Day” in the city of Pittsburgh. The 6-year-old is doing something no one has ever done as a Girl Scout, going viral for her cookie-selling ambitions.

In her first season, she has sold more than 100,000 boxes of cookies, and on Friday, she even got to sell a couple of boxes in the mayor’s office.

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor welcomed Neill and her dad into the mayor’s office on Friday for a special ceremony. The mayor presented her with a proclamation that officially declared today as Pim Neill Day.

Neill and her family are residents of the city, although Neill’s Girl Scout troop is based in the Baldwin-Whitehall area.

As of Friday afternoon, she has officially sold more than 117,000 boxes of cookies. It’s thanks to a social media campaign that has seen multiple videos go viral. She even sold 20,000 in one day.

O’Connor says you can tell she has a “passion” for selling cookies, and her story is a positive message for everyone.

“I think it’s amazing what her story is to so many people, and how many people she has inspired. And then to have her be from Pittsburgh, it really helps promote our city too. So she’s not only inspiring people, but she’s helping to promote Pittsburgh and the city. Credit to her, she was very aggressive in getting me to buy cookies.”

Neill’s original goal was 10,000 cookies and then once she passed that, it became 100,000. Now she has her eye on the career record of boxes sold by one Girl Scout that is around 180,000.

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.