Category: CNN Regional

By Bo Evans

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    DALLAS, Texas (KTVT) — Nineteen apartment units were destroyed in the Dallas explosion that claimed the lives of three people.

While the community is still reeling from that loss, Dallas is coming together to help the victims rebuild their lives.

For Cecilia Balderas Rodriguez, the circumstances carry a heavier weight. She said in Spanish that she was at work when she heard an explosion. That’s when a friend called her and said her apartment was on fire.

Rodriguez said she could only think of the children, the safety of the kids who lived in the building, while her life, and the lives of her neighbors, were turned to ash.

It’s a situation that Daniel Roby and Austin Street Center are trying to rectify immediately.

“What we’ve been working with the city of Dallas and the office of emergency management and trying to make sure that all the non-profits are teed up so that after the immediate crisis is resolved, that we have ongoing support for these over 19 families that are now essentially homeless,” said Roby.

On Monday, Rodriguez and others signed leases and moved into new apartments.

“Gracias a todos,” said Rodriguez.

Austin Street Center has raised $80,000 so far to cover six months of housing costs for everyone affected by Thursday’s fire, but they are still $40,000 short of what they need to do that. They’re asking for help and donations.

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 Allison Petro

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    VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) — The woman who was accused of crashing into a toll booth at a beach and killing the person inside was arrested, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood said Deanna Harrell is now in custody with warrants for vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter.

On Monday, Chitwood said he could smell alcohol inside Harrell’s vehicle, which had come to rest in the ocean water.

The sheriff’s office released surveillance and bodycam video Tuesday showing the crash and the deputies’ response.

The victim, 62-year-old Tammie Jo Baker, was seen on camera entering the booth just moments before a pickup truck traveling eastbound on Dunlawton Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores crashed into it.

Loved ones gathered at the beach on Tuesday to honor Baker, bringing flowers, including sunflowers from her garden, and sharing memories of her life.

Baker’s family described her as a fun-loving woman who was the center of their family.

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 Beret Leone

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Wednesday is the beginning of a five-day celebration of the icon we know, love and miss: Prince.

From new exhibits to a big Friday night concert and a free community sing-along, there are ways to celebrate his legacy happening all over during Prince Celebration 2026.

“It’s going to focus on the full spectrum of his life, the 10 years that we lost him physically, but we didn’t lose him spiritually,” L. Londell McMillian with Paisley Park said. “We’re going to celebrate that presence, that essence, the music, his values, his virtues, his generosity, his love, his kindness and his Minnesotaness.”

The sing-along will happen Saturday afternoon under the Prince mural in downtown Minneapolis. It’s free to attend and will feature a 100-person choir guiding the crowd through Prince’s most iconic songs. Organizers expect thousands of attendees.

Organizers say the event is about more than singing along, it’s about bringing the community together through the artist who helped define Minneapolis on the world stage.

“It’s really important that the city embraces and amplifies our greatest icons, and in many ways Prince is the singular artist that has really identified with the city of Minneapolis,” Minneapolis Arts and Cultural Affairs Director Ben Johnson said.

The sing-along is just one part of a packed week of events in Minneapolis and at Paisley Park, leading up to Prince’s birthday on Sunday.

Wednesday night, First Avenue will host a Kick-Off Party with Chaka Khan.

Thursday will bring panel discussions with Prince collaborators at Royalston Square in Minneapolis, as well as Prince Night at the Minnesota Twins game at Target Field.

On Friday, the celebration moves to The Armory for a major concert with a lof of names, including Prince’s legendary bands The Revolution and New Power Generation performing together.

Prince was found dead inside his Paisley Park home in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on April 21, 2016.

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 Joseph Buczek

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    MACOMB COUNTY, Michigan (WWJ) — A Macomb County high school was forced to cancel its prom Tuesday night because of a reported threat.

Clintondale High School canceled the dance after the Michigan State Police and the Ok2Say hotline notified school officials about an hour before the event of a tip they received indicating a student may have been planning to bring a gun to prom.

After discussions with Clintondale school administrators, the school resource officer and Clinton Township police, the district canceled the prom.

Clintondale Community Schools Interim Superintendent Kevin Knoblock issued the following statement, saying in part:

“We carefully considered every option, fully aware of the disappointment this decision would cause for students and families. However, we also recognized the serious potential risk involved and our responsibility to protect everyone attending the event.

After thorough discussion and consultation with law enforcement, the difficult decision was made to cancel prom in order to ensure the safety of all students and guests.

We understand and share the disappointment felt by our students and families, as well as the time, effort, and expense invested into this special occasion. Student safety, however, will always remain our highest priority.”

The Clinton Township Police Department confirmed to CBS News Detroit that it is actively investigating the threat that led to the cancellation of the prom.

The school district has not made a decision on whether the event will be rescheduled.

The prom was scheduled to be held at the Blossom Heath Inn in St. Clair Shores.

The Michigan school safety tipline program is known as OK2SAY. The program began 10 years ago and provides steps that anyone can use 24/7 to report potentially harmful or criminal activities involving students or a school campus.

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 Marisa Sardonia

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    BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — A Buncombe County grand jury has indicted two people in connection with the shooting deaths of three family members inside a western North Carolina home.

On Tuesday, June 2, a grand jury indicted 16-year-old Star Grant and 28-year-old Devan Loving on first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Grant’s parents and grandmother. These indictments were handed down nearly one month after investigators say three victims were shot and stabbed inside their home in Fairview, N.C.

On Thursday, May 7, deputies responded to a welfare check at a home on Ashworth Drive in Fairview, where they found the bodies of three victims, identified as 41-year-old Travis Eugene Grant, 42-year-old Kimberly Michelle Grant and 66-year-old Sharon Harwood Grant. Authorities said Travis and Kimberly Grant were married, and that Sharon was Travis’ mother.

Detectives also determined that 16-year-old Star Grant, who lives at the Ashworth Drive residence, was missing and unaccounted for. On Friday, May 8, authorities said the teenage girl was located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, accompanied by an adult male, who was later identified as Devan Loving. The pair was then taken into custody.

Both Grant and Loving are charged with first-degree murder and felony conspiracy to commit murder. Although Grant is a minor, she is charged as an adult. Loving also faces an additional charge for the abduction of a child

“Your Honor, the co-defendant (Star Grant) and Mr. Loving did shoot, then stab all three individuals,” Buncombe County Assistant District Attorney Amy Buchanan said in court in May. “They then took their wallets, as well as a firearm, and fled the state. They were found days later in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. And after they were found, they both did speak with law enforcement, and did admit to their involvement in the murders.”

As previously reported, family members have said Grant and Loving were in a romantic relationship, one that her parents opposed. One family member said the parents reportedly planned to seek a restraining order against Loving, though court records confirm no restraining order was ever filed.

Both Grant and Loving waived their extradition rights last month and were transferred from Tennessee to North Carolina to face charges.

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 Erin Miller

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    SUFFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — A Suffolk firefighter is being recognized as an Everyday Hero after grabbing his gear from his garage and helping battle a neighbor’s house fire while off duty.

Joshua Baker was at his Chesapeake home when a neighbor came banging on his front door.

“[If] we have somebody banging on the front door, normally it’s a medical call or something along those sorts, [but] she said the house was on fire,” Baker said.

Baker ran to his garage where he coincidentally had his firefighting gear.

“I had just been shipped out the day before to another station to drive the ladder. Therefore, I had all my gear with me. I was on a 5-day break and I just kind of had it stored in the garage to get it out of the truck, and it was just there. So, it was definitely a lucky thing,” Baker said.

He said when he got to his neighbor’s property everyone was out of the house already.

“I took a [garden] hose and we kind of went inside. We couldn’t make it there, so we threw a ladder up and were able to extinguish it from the window on the outside until the engines got there. Then Chesapeake did a fantastic job on their end, and they wrapped everything up,” Baker said.

Baker’s wife and children were inside his home at the time and watched as he sprung into action and climbed a ladder to fight the fire.

“We didn’t know what was going to happen to him and watching him climb up the ladder and get in [the house] was just crazy, but we’re glad that he’s safe,” his daughter said.

Baker said he and others were able to keep the fire contained until Chesapeake firefighters arrived.

“We kind of kept it at bay and then like I said, Chesapeake was able to come in and finally fully extinguish it,” Baker said.

When asked whether there is an ‘off-switch’ for a firefighter, Baker said there isn’t one.

“There’s no off-switch. You’re never really off-duty when you’re a firefighter. When you sign up and you take that oath, you know that it’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It doesn’t matter,” Baker said.

His wife, Ashlynn, said watching him respond firsthand was an emotional experience.

“He goes above and beyond whether he’s here at the station or in the community, but to see the action firsthand in our neighborhood was overwhelming, exciting, [and] scary, but also just — there was not a hesitation in reaction. He will go above-and-beyond to help anybody, so [we’re] just really proud of him,” she said.

Southern Bank gifted Baker $425 — $125 more than usual to celebrate the bank’s 125 years in the community.

Baker said the recognition was not necessary, but he appreciated it.

“This isn’t needed, but I do appreciate it. I mean, I think anybody that’s standing in this room right now would have done 100% the same thing, 100% the same thing,” Baker said.

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 Rachel Whelan

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    CINCINNATI (WLWT) — A night of baseball, music and hope brought together people living with ALS at Great American Ball Park.

The Cincinnati Reds hosted their annual Lou Gehrig Day celebration, honoring those affected by the disease and raising awareness for the ongoing fight to find a cure.

Among those taking part was John Driskell Hopkins, known to fans as “Hop,” the guitarist for the Zac Brown Band. Hopkins was diagnosed with ALS in December 2021, but he continues to tour, perform and advocate for research through his foundation, Hop On A Cure.

“My breathing is good, I obviously have my appetite,” Hopkins joked. “And I’m too blessed to be depressed.”

Before the game, Hopkins performed an intimate concert for people living with ALS and their families outside Great American Ball Park.

“I am so very proud of each and every one of you that doesn’t give up,” Hopkins told the crowd.

Hopkins said his foundation, Hop on a Cure, has helped raise more than $5 million for ALS research in the past year alone.

Also in the crowd was 27-year-old Hannah Broermann of Okeana, who was diagnosed with ALS last year. Broermann said meeting Hopkins was especially meaningful because she and her husband, Logan, are longtime Zac Brown Band fans.

“We love him and the Zac Brown Band,” Broermann said. “They were our first dance song at our wedding, and we’ve seen them here in concert. So it was awesome.”

Later in the evening, Broermann took the field for a moment she will never forget. With her family helping her out of her wheelchair and Logan waiting behind home plate, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

For Broermann, the support from her family has meant everything.

“They’re the type of family who, as soon as we called them to let them know what was going on today, they were like, ‘Alright, where do we buy tickets? What’s the plan?’” Broermann said. “No questions asked. I know they’re going to be there.”

The night ended with Hopkins singing the national anthem before the Reds game, a fitting close to a day meant to honor, remember and support those touched by ALS.

While there is still no cure for the disease, those gathered at Great American Ball Park said nights like Lou Gehrig Day help bring the ALS community together and remind families they are not alone.

If you’d like to learn more about Hop on a Cure, visit the organization’s website.

A “Hope for Hannah ” Benefit will support Hannah Broermann and her family as they navigate ALS. The event is July 18 at Badin High School.

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.