Category: CNN Regional

By Anna Alejo

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    DENVER (KCNC) — An exhibit showcasing a Colorado treasure has been re-imagined. Lincoln Hills, once the largest African American recreational resort west of the Mississippi, was created in response to segregation. Its enduring impact is now on display at History Colorado.

Lincoln Hills was established in 1922 as a thriving resort for Black Americans in Colorado’s foothills. It was also a symbol of resilience and served as a sanctuary from racial discrimination.

“The food and the environment and just such a wonderful place to experience happiness, experience fun, get out there and move around,” recalled Terri Gentry, who grew up visiting Lincoln Hills. “My grandparents bought the cabin back in the 1960s and took us up there. We were going up there almost every weekend during the summertime and hated coming back to Denver.”

Gentry says she still enjoys visits to Lincoln Hills.

When it opened, the 100-acre resort included 600 lots for campsites and cabins. Obrey Wendell “Winks” Hamlet and his wife, Naomi Hamlet, built the first full-service hotel, known as Winks Lodge, in 1928. The lodge hosted many famous Black Americans, including Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes and more.

History Colorado has remade the Lincoln Hills exhibit, beginning with the entrance. The KKK display that stood at the entrance is gone.

“I heard from a lot of previous visitors that they didn’t even want to come into the cabin,” said Acoma Gaither, who curated the new presentation of Lincoln Hills. “Even though the story of the KKK is very prominent in Colorado, and it should be told, it’s not really the story of Lincoln Hills. Lincoln Hills is about Black joy.”

“So this is another one of my favorite display cases here. This really talks about Camp Nizhoni. The girls would swim in South Boulder Creek,” Gaither shared.

The new version of the exhibit prioritizes uplifting personal stories.

“We held community listening sessions where we would record folks speaking to us at Shorter AME Church about their time at Lincoln Hills, and then they brought in pictures,” explained Gaither.

Generations of Coloradans will see their stories here and imagine the days when legendary Black actors and authors sought refuge in Lincoln Hills.

“We have the honeymoon cabin that they built and Lena Horne, that was her favorite hangout,” said Gentry.

“They would surround the barbecue pit and just talk about life, what was happening in the world at that time,” Gaither 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 Veronica Ortega

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    DETROIT (WWJ) — The community is trying to save an iconic Detroit business before it closes for good on Sunday.

The Black-owned family business has been a staple in the city’s North End neighborhood for more than 60 years.

Ever since news spread of its imminent closure, dozens of people have been braving the bitter cold temperatures for one last chance to order food from Parks Old Style Bar-B-Q in Detroit.

“Hell yeah, it’s worth it. It is very much worth coming down and get something to eat. My wife cold, but I’m all right,” De-wan Rush, of Detroit, said.

Most people waiting in line outside the restaurant on Saturday said they have been visiting for decades.

“I’ve been coming to Parks since I was a little girl with my dad, my mom. It’s just an acquired taste. I mean, it’s good. I’ve been eating it all my life,” Denisha Powers said.

The business was founded in 1964 by Edward Parks. His children and grandchildren have carried on that legacy ever since.

“The people, the community, our customers, the love, the support, everyone, and people that stand out here now, this is how we still going,” Dominique White, daughter of the business owner, said.

According to a GoFundMe started by one of the employees of the barbecue joint, the owner is battling an illness, and rising costs are making it difficult to stay open.

“I know it’s sad for the community, but there’s really too much to go on,” White said. “You want to keep the support, the business, keep it open. That’s what I advise everyone to go do, to go share the GoFundMe.”

Many say the sauce is part of what makes the business special.

“They should sell they sauce in stores so we can at least get this sauce. I’m gonna cry if they close. Seriously, that’s how good they is,” Sharnice Swanson, long-time patron, said.

It’s down to the wire; the sign on the door Saturday said the business will close permanently on Sunday, Feb. 8, unless there’s a miracle.

“We’re showing out. We got to show off for them. We got to help them out. You know, we don’t know what the problem is, but we here,” Rush 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 Ray Campos

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Juan Leon had only been running his Twin Cities tow truck business, Leo’s Towing, for a few months when he noticed a pattern that kept repeating itself.

Cars were being left behind across the metro area – parked on streets, in parking lots, sometimes for days at a time. The owners were gone, and in many cases, they had been arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Seeing there was a need for someone to help out, help clear the streets and get the people back their vehicles. So we stepped up and started doing it,” Leon said.

By late December, Leon and his small towing crew decided to do something about it, all thanks to observers calling in and reporting these vehicles.

“Families reach out to us. If the family isn’t reaching out, we’ll find a way to get inside the vehicle and we’ll bring it back to their house and put it in a safe spot,” Leon said.

They began picking up vehicles and returning them to the families of those arrested, free of charge.

“We’re able to do this 24/7, so we don’t have to go back to our other jobs,” Leon said.

Donations began pouring in all across the country, supporting Leon’s cause, but not without a cost to their personal safety.

“When they doxxed me, they put all my information out there,” Leon said. “For the last three weeks, we have been getting nothing but death threats.”

Leon sends a “chase” car to check out where these abandoned vehicles are located and arranges discreet drop-offs. Since late December, he estimated they have dropped off 250 cars.

The drop-offs are often emotional for the families and Leon’s crew.

“All I can do is give them a hug and tell them hopefully things will get better,” said Gonzalo Villegas. “Sad isn’t even the word to use. It’s so much stronger than that.”

Despite the emotional strain, the team continues.

“We are going to figure it out day by day if we have to,” Leon said.

Leo’s Tow actively tries to locate family members on their Facebook page and hosts podcasts recapping their weeks returning vehicles.

Leo’s Tow will be hosting a charity event on Sunday at Lito’s Burritos in Minneapolis.

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.

WCCO

By Ray Campos

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Juan Leon had only been running his Twin Cities tow truck business, Leo’s Towing, for a few months when he noticed a pattern that kept repeating itself.

Cars were being left behind across the metro area – parked on streets, in parking lots, sometimes for days at a time. The owners were gone, and in many cases, they had been arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Seeing there was a need for someone to help out, help clear the streets and get the people back their vehicles. So we stepped up and started doing it,” Leon said.

By late December, Leon and his small towing crew decided to do something about it, all thanks to observers calling in and reporting these vehicles.

“Families reach out to us. If the family isn’t reaching out, we’ll find a way to get inside the vehicle and we’ll bring it back to their house and put it in a safe spot,” Leon said.

They began picking up vehicles and returning them to the families of those arrested, free of charge.

“We’re able to do this 24/7, so we don’t have to go back to our other jobs,” Leon said.

Donations began pouring in all across the country, supporting Leon’s cause, but not without a cost to their personal safety.

“When they doxxed me, they put all my information out there,” Leon said. “For the last three weeks, we have been getting nothing but death threats.”

Leon sends a “chase” car to check out where these abandoned vehicles are located and arranges discreet drop-offs. Since late December, he estimated they have dropped off 250 cars.

The drop-offs are often emotional for the families and Leon’s crew.

“All I can do is give them a hug and tell them hopefully things will get better,” said Gonzalo Villegas. “Sad isn’t even the word to use. It’s so much stronger than that.”

Despite the emotional strain, the team continues.

“We are going to figure it out day by day if we have to,” Leon said.

Leo’s Tow actively tries to locate family members on their Facebook page and hosts podcasts recapping their weeks returning vehicles.

Leo’s Tow will be hosting a charity event on Sunday at Lito’s Burritos in Minneapolis.

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 Garrett Behanna

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A man was taken into custody after barricading himself inside a home and setting a fire in Pittsburgh’s Brookline neighborhood on Saturday, officials said.

Pittsburgh police and fire crews were dispatched around 11:45 a.m. to the 1500 block of Ballinger Street for a reported structure fire. Police said a relative called 911 and reported that a man inside the home was threatening to set it on fire.

The caller told dispatchers that, during a FaceTime call, the man poured lighter fluid throughout the residence, authorities said.

When officers arrived, they found the man barricaded inside the home. A police negotiator made contact, and the man eventually surrendered without incident. Officers found two firearms on the suspect and observed smoke and flames coming from a doorway.

Firefighters then entered the home and extinguished the fire.

Officials said the residence sustained moderate damage throughout and is considered a loss. No civilians or first responders were injured.

One cat died as a result of the fire, and one dog was rescued from the backyard, authorities said. The American Red Cross is assisting the remaining residents, who are staying with relatives.

The man was transported to police headquarters for further questioning and is expected 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 Stephanie Stahl, Casey Kuhn

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A new kind of joint replacement is now available for people who have a certain kind of arthritis in the hand.

Arthritis is a very common problem for people as they age, and until now, treatment options have been limited.

Four months after having a new kind of joint replacement surgery on his thumb, Randy Ferree said he’s able to easily move his hand.

“The surgery went very, very well,” he said. “I didn’t really have a lot of pain with it.”

Ferree, a retired engineer from Phoenixville, is among the millions of people with arthritis in the thumb joint.

“It just is a pain that keeps you from doing things because you can’t grip, you can’t lift,” he said.

But not anymore — Ferree was one of the first patients to get a new implant with Dr. Richard Tosti at Rothman Orthopaedics.

“What’s exciting about this implant is that I think it shows a new step towards innovation and hand surgery catching up with total hip and total knee surgery,” Tosti said.

Tosti’s images before the surgery show bone-on-bone in the thumb joint, and the lack of cartilage tissue causes the pain. After surgery, the implant provides a cushion.

Ferree said he had arthritis in both hands. Years ago, he had the traditional surgery on his right hand, where bone is removed.

Tosti said with the implant, patients have a quicker, easier recovery with improved strength and mobility.

“Very, very happily impressed,” Ferree said.

Now for the first time in a long time, he’s pain-free.

The implant that was developed in Europe, where Tosti trained. It was FDA cleared in July.

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 Kristie Keleshian, Naomi Ruchim

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — Saturday night is expected to be the coldest of the season so far, and New York City officials are expanding efforts to make sure all residents stay safe.

At least 17 people have died outside since the cold snap began just over two weeks ago.

“This weather, frankly, is dangerous, and the consequences of being outside could be fatal,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

The mayor announced expansions to shelters and warming facilities on Friday, and Saturday afternoon, the city announced even more action.

In addition to the previously announced 10 school-based warming centers announced Friday, the city said two more will now open – one in Far Rockaway and one in Washington Heights.

Warming bus units will also operate at what the mayor describes as a heightened capacity, increasing from 27 buses on Friday night to 33 by Saturday night.

“The warming buses is good for people that need help in life, that’s struggling, that’s trying to get their housing right now,” Manhattan resident Peter Brasco said.

Agencies are also making the signage on warming shelters and buses larger and more visible so people in need can find them easily.

In addition to more buses, Mamdani announced the addition of at least 150 more outreach workers to get New Yorkers into newly added safe haven beds, expediting the opening of 64 new hotel shelter units in Queens, and cutting the 311 wait time in half to get help for housing insecure New Yorkers. More than 50 school nurses have also been deployed.

“What we’re doing at this time is doubling down on all of our efforts to connect any new yorker who’s outside with shelter, with warmth, and with safety,” Mamdani said.

The mayor visited firefighters and EMS workers on Staten Island to thank them for their efforts Saturday.

“Just on Staten Island, Sanitation has melted more than 11 million tons of snow. This is all the work that city workers are doing in tandem with more than 550 outreach workers who are out there at all times of day to bring homeless New Yorkers inside,” Mamdani said.

At Saint Clement’s Episcopal Church in Midtown, volunteers were giving away warm food, but they said fewer people have been coming out on colder days.

“It says that there’s a lot of people that we’re not able to get to or that are not able to come here because of the weather, and they may be going without food and that is big concern,” volunteer TT said.

Joan Ochei was among those who did brave the cold to pick up something to eat.

“Freezing, it’s freezing. But we have to make the best of it,” she said. “For people like us, this is like a relief, great relief for us.”

Volunteers are reminding New Yorkers that they aren’t alone and that help is out there.

“We’re here to help you, anytime, whatever you need,” TT said. “We’re here to help you. We can do what we can.”

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.