Category: CNN Regional

By Jason Burger

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    SHAWNEE, Oklahoma (KOCO) — A Shawnee mother’s determination to honor her son, who died in a crash involving nitrous oxide intoxication, has led to the passage of the Maddix Bias Act, a new law aimed at restricting the substance’s misuse.

“I was starting to get really down about it, just trying to get it be heard on the senate floor, because that’s all we needed this year,” said Candi Morris, Maddix Bias’s mother.

Mother’s Day was a difficult time for Morris, but the day after, she received a call that lifted her spirits.

“It was a really hard day for me, and the very next day, I got the call that the Governor had signed it,” she said.

The Maddix Bias Act, named after her son, restricts nitrous oxide to medical and dental purposes, as well as automotive and restaurant industries, where it can only be obtained from suppliers. The law makes it a misdemeanor to possess, buy, sell, or transfer nitrous oxide for intoxication purposes. Violators could face up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

When asked how Maddix’s story was received by lawmakers, Morris said, “They understood my goal of not wanting it to happen to another child, and another mother having to bury their child, so they very much understood that.”

Maddix graduated from Tecumseh High School in 2023, where he played baseball and wore the No. 7 jersey. Morris noticed a meaningful coincidence when the bill named after her son was listed as number seven on the Senate agenda.

“It was listed as number 7 on the agenda for the Senate that next day, and that was Maddix’s baseball number his whole life,” she said.

After two years of advocacy, Morris said she feels her son has been guiding her throughout the process.

“It was like a gift from him — and so it seems like I keep getting little crumbles whenever I need lifting up just to keep going,” she said.

The Maddix Bias Act will go into effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session.

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 Chen

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    EL CAJON, California (KGTV) — A power outage almost ended a Little League playoff game in Blossom Valley — until firefighters came to the rescue.

A power line began arcing just before 7 p.m. Tuesday near the Rios Canyon Little League field in Blossom Valley, threatening to cancel a District 41 Tournament of Champions playoff game between two teams of kids ages 10 to 12.

The outage struck in the third inning, knocking out the field lights and putting the rest of the game in doubt.

“Our electrical lights started to flicker, and a few seconds later, we lost all power,” parent and league board member Ryan Abell said.

Abell said the stakes were high. Pitcher pitch count rules could have helped force playoff games to be rescheduled if the game couldn’t be completed.

“We thought we were going to have to cancel the game, potentially the whole week of play,” Abell said.

Lakeside Fire responded to the scene. After securing the area ahead of SDG&E repairs, a fire captain learned the game was in jeopardy.

“Maybe a little heartfelt. He didn’t want the kids to go home and be sad,” said Fire Marshal Jeremy Davis. “Let’s let them play baseball.”

The captain got approval to bring in a rescue unit equipped with a 15-foot-tall LED light tower sporting six powerful lights. The unit was set up right next to the left field line, while remaining available for emergency calls.

When I asked Abell about his reaction when the light tower went up, he said, “The game was saved.”

“It lit up the entire outfield, a good majority of the infield, and allowed us to finish the game,” Bell said.

After the game, the kids got a tour of the fire rig.

“Big smiles on their faces, parents too,” Abell said.

Abell said the moment left a lasting impression on everyone there.

“You’re feeling these guys are true heroes, willing to rally around the community. They saw that these boys and their families mattered. Incredibly grateful for their service, above and beyond,” Abell said. “This is going to be a memory we will never forget.”

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

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 Chantelle Navarro

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    MCALESTER, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Oklahoma has carried out the execution a man convicted of beating his ex-girlfriend to death and killing her 7-month-old baby in a 2007 Tulsa fire.

Death row inmate Raymond Johnson was put to death Thursday morning at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. He was pronounced dead at 10:12 a.m.

Learn more about his case below.

Raymond Johnson murder conviction He was convicted after beating his girlfriend, 24-year-old Brooke Whitaker, to death with a hammer and then setting a fire that killed her daughter, Kya, in June 2007. Their bodies were discovered in a charred home in east Tulsa.

Investigators said Johnson struck Whitaker five or six times with a hammer before dousing her with gasoline and setting her on fire. He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson and sentenced to death.

Before killing his ex-girlfriend and her baby, Johnson had been released on parole after serving time for a deadly shooting in the 1990s.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond Statement Justice has been served for Brooke Whitaker and her infant daughter, Kya. Their lives were taken far too soon in a heinous act of violence. I pray that Brooke’s and Kya’s family find some measure of peace today after enduring unimaginable pain and grief for nearly two decades.

Raymond Johnson’s last meal Oklahoma Department of Corrections officials said Johnson’s last meal request was a 12-piece boneless chicken, a pint of gizzards, a side of fried pickles, and four packets each of hot sauce and ranch dressing.

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 Jeremiah Estrada

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    LAHAINA, Hawaii (KITV) — A Washington man is in custody and faces federal charges after he allegedly threw a large rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal in Lahaina on May 5.

A federal investigation began after a video appearing to show a man throwing a large rock toward a Hawaiian monk seal named Lani on Maui spread online. The viral incident involving the endangered animal, which happened on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, led to immediate response from law enforcement and widespread public outrage.

United States Attorney’s Office, District of Hawaii announced that Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was charged by criminal complaint on Tuesday, May 12, with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal after he allegedly threw a large rock at the seal’s head. This offense is in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Following the suspect’s federal charges he was arrested on Wednesday, May 13, near Seattle, Washington by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration special agents.

According to the complaint, Lytvynchuk was seen and filmed on May 5 walking along the shoreline of Lahaina. The suspect was seen tracking Lani’s movements as she playfully pushed a floating log close to the shoreline.

Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock, aimed and allegedly threw it directly at Lani’s head. The rock narrowly missed her nose, startling her and caused her to rear up out of the water.

Witnesses immediately confronted Lytvynchuk and told him they contacted law enforcement. In response, he allegedly responded that he was “rich enough to pay the fines” before he walked away.

Witnesses also reported that Lani was immobile for a long period of time after the incident, which caused much concern over her condition.

Lytvynchuk is currently in custody and is scheduled to make his first court appearance at the Seattle courthouse at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 14.

If Lytvynchuk is convicted as charged, he could serve up to one year in prison for each charge, along with a term of supervised release. Lytvynchuk could also be fined up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and fined up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

“The unique and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s special place in the world and its incredible biodiversity,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. ”We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular endangered Hawaiian monk seals, like Lani. We pledge that those who harass and attempt to harm our protected wildlife will face rapid accountability in federal court.”

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 Andie Bernhardt

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    FRANKLIN, Wisconsin (WDJT) — A Franklin teen given a second chance in life is sharing his story to make sure his community is prepared to take action.

“It was scary, didn’t know what to do,” said Jeremy Zahn, Carter Zahn’s father.

It’s been nearly two years since now 18-year-old, Carter Zahn, was playing in a basketball tournament when his life changed forever.

“Within five minutes of playing his first game he collapsed,” said Jeremy Zahn. “At first, we weren’t sure what was happening. All of the sudden a teammate’s mom jumped into action and administrated CPR, called for AED and also 911.”

That mom’s quick thinking and an AED on hand saved Carter’s life and now he’s paying that forward to his hometown.

“You never know when something like this could happen,” said Carter Zahn. “It could happen any moment, anytime. I was healthy, I had no underlining conditions, so anyone can experience it. Just having a SaveStation, especially outside can save lives.”

Now, thanks to the help of Carter, the Franklin Community Center has a SaveStation, with an AED at the ready.

The AED talks through each step, so anyone can respond in an emergency where every second matters.

“If the AED wasn’t there, the outcome could’ve been very different,” said Carter Zahn. “Because you only have about a couple minutes to really save that person.”

From youth sports to school extracurriculars and community events, the center is heavily used by residents. Now, they can play prepared and worry free.

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.