Category: CNN Regional

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.

By Leondra Head

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — On the campus of Clark Atlanta University, there’s an extra sense of pride when the HBCU’s student choir, the Philharmonic Society, performs “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

The song, also known as the Black National Anthem, was written in the early 1900s to inspire and give hope.

“Every single time I hear it, I get so empowered being an African American,” Clark Atlanta student Cheney Pooler said.

Pooler regularly performs the song and takes great pride in performing a song written by an alumnus.

“James Weldon Johnson wrote the lyrics for the song. So to sing it is just a privilege and something we all cherish,” Pooler said.

Johnson graduated in 1894, when Clark Atlanta was Atlanta University. He originally wrote “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as a poem while working as a school principal in Florida. Johnson’s brother transformed it into a song.

The song, written 126 years ago, depicts the struggles of Blacks during that time.

“Sometimes our Blackness wasn’t represented enough, and we’re taking that power back,” Pooler said.

“This was written during the times of lynchings. This was not a time of peace. This was a time of evil,” Clark Atlanta President Dr. George French Jr. “They understood that we needed symbols of hope. We need something that will inspire us.”

The original intent for the song was for a former U.S. president.

“He wrote it for President Lincoln on President Lincoln’s birthday,” French said.

Clark Atlanta historian Gay-linn Gatewood Jasho said the song has stood the test of time.

“Not only is that song a part of the African American community, it is sung at sporting events. It’s opened up to the world to show who we are as a people,” Gatewood Jasho said.

Coco Jones will perform the anthem at the Super Bowl on Sunday.

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.