Category: CNN Regional

By Stephanie Wade

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    CLARENDON HILLS, Illinois (WLS) — A family in Clarendon Hills had all of their holiday packages stolen right from their front porch in broad daylight.

This brazen porch pirate stole about $500 worth of items.

“It just stinks, you lose everything,” Sarah Depasquale said.

It was just before 4 p.m. Monday. a man seen in Ring doorbell video walked right up to Sarah Depasquale’s home, carrying a red DoorDash bag, posing as a delivery driver and began stuffing it with gifts from her front porch.

“It’s just violating and disappointing,” Depasquale said.

The thief was interrupted, when the family arrived home about 30 seconds into the theft. He scurried off when they pulled in the driveway.

“He started sprinting the minute he saw us pull in and I thought that’s an odd reaction for a DoorDash driver,” Depasquale said.

With Christmas right around the corner, Depasquale said, “Like kids winter snow boots. I got snow boots for me to walk the dog. Some silly things like that. I had a couple ornaments that were made for my tree of my mom. My mom passed away a year ago and why would you want them? So that was disappointing too.”

What’s more video shows the suspect in the red SUV had driven by their home several times, canvassing whether they were home or not.

“He had driven by our house three or four times yesterday, so we could see the car slowly drive by and checking out our front porch. And throughout the day we obviously accrued more packages and then surprise, he stole them,” Depasquale said.

A new Insurify survey finds, nearly half of Cyber Monday shoppers say they’ve had a package stolen.

To protect your packages:

-Have items sent to a secure locker or your workplace, use tracking alerts and signature requirements, and install a video doorbell or camera.

-and if you’re traveling, ask a neighbor to grab your deliveries for you.

“You just feel like your property has been encroached upon and your safety, it’s terrifying,” Depasquale said.

The homeowner did file a police report. She said the officer told her this happens frequently, but none of her other neighbors were hit Monday.

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By JT Moodee Lockman

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    FREDERICK, Maryland (WJZ) — A man who died in 2010 was recently identified as the person responsible for a 1988 cold case homicide in Frederick, Maryland, according to the city’s police department.

Twenty-three-year-old Delores Marie “Mooda” Thompson was found dead in her apartment in the 100 block of South Market Street on Feb. 1, 1988. There were no signs of forced entry, according to police.

Calvin Ziegler, who police said knew Thompson and frequently visited her apartment, was among several suspects interviewed during the initial investigation. However, due to limits in DNA testing, he was not determined to be a suspect at the time.

It wasn’t until this year that Thompson’s family received answers and news of a development in the case.

“Thanks to recent advancements in department forensic equipment, our crime scene unit was able to revisit the evidence with fresh eyes,” Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando said.

Police said they examined the initial investigation and found that Thompson’s manner of death was strangulation. They also determined that the case included evidence of sexual assault. A viable DNA profile of the murder suspect could not be developed with the technology available in 1988.

This year, detectives went over the evidence again using updated forensic techniques and equipment. They identified a small piece of bedding that had not been previously tested.

Investigators were able to produce a DNA profile and compare it to national records. It returned a match to Ziegler, who died in 2010, according to police.

Despite criminal charges not being possible, the Frederick County State’s Attorney issued a formal letter confirming that the evidence supports the identification of Ziegler as the person responsible for Thompson’s death and the case was listed as closed.

“To the family of Dolores Thompson, we know this announcement does not take away your pain, but we hope it offers the peace of finally knowing the truth,” Chief Lando said.

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By Neal Riley

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    FITCHBURG, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Veterinarians say a bald eagle found injured and bloodied in Fitchburg, Massachusetts over the weekend was likely hurt in a fight with another eagle and not shot by a human as authorities first suspected.

The Leominster Fitchburg Animal Control Facebook page shared pictures of the wounded bird of prey on Saturday. Two wildlife rehabilitation experts used gloves and a towel to wrangle the eagle and transport it to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic.

“This poor guy appears to have been shot (which is a federal offense),” animal control wrote.

The post attracted hundreds of social media comments and shares, with many calling for justice.

“Hoping they catch whoever did this,” one person commented.

But as The Worcester Telegram & Gazette first reported, it turns out that the eagle’s injuries were probably the result of a bird-on-bird brawl.

“Veterinarians at Tufts Wildlife Clinic performed a physical examination of the eagle, which revealed multiple puncture wounds that are suspected to have been sustained during a fight with another eagle,” Tufts Wildlife Clinic director Dr. Maureen Murray said in a statement.

No other injuries were detected, and veterinarians will continue to monitor the eagle’s condition in the coming days.

Bald eagles can be very territorial, especially during breeding season. Last month in Chicago, two eagles got stuck together while fighting and crashed into a house.

The bald eagle population continues to rebound in Massachusetts. They are listed as a species of “special concern,” and as of 2023 there were more than 80 territorial pairs of bald eagles identified in the state.

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By Christina Mondragon

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    LAFAYETTE, Louisiana (KATC) — A simple act of kindness from a Lafayette mechanic has reminded one Acadiana woman that her late grandmother’s lessons about human goodness still ring true.

Laken Disotell spent Saturday afternoon with her children at Sky Zone, but what should have been a fun family outing nearly turned into a stressful situation when she accidentally left her wallet on the roof of her car.

“We were leaving and I had my wallet in my hand and I placed my wallet on top of my car and in my head I said don’t forget to grab it. That didn’t work well. I just drove off,” Disotell said.

Her wallet stayed on the roof as she drove down Ambassador Caffery Parkway, eventually falling off more than a mile away from the trampoline park.

“I told my husband ‘We are not going to find, it are we?’ And he said ‘Stay positive,'” Disotell said.

The next day, Disotell turned to social media, posting a plea for anyone who might spot her missing wallet.

“So I made my post,” she said.

Shortly after, she received a message that brought her to tears.

“I get a notification that someone is trying to send me a message request. I opened it and I just saw the picture of my wallet and before I can even read the message I just cried,” Disotell said.

Chase Wilson, a local mechanic, had taken time out of his day to search for the missing wallet after seeing Disotell’s social media post.

“I was like, alright I’m going to look for it. I got to the red light at Ambassador and Johnston and I just so happen to look out the window and there the wallet was,” Wilson said.

While the wallet contained debit cards and her driver’s license, something else inside mattered far more to Disotell. She had kept a letter from her late grandmother in the wallet, looking at it whenever she needed comfort. Unfortunately, the letter didn’t survive the ordeal due to the rain.

“The note was a no go. When I opened the zipper the letter was gone and you can see little pieces of the paper,” Disotell said.

Despite losing the physical letter, Wilson’s act of kindness helped Disotell feel connected to her grandmother’s memory and the values she instilled.

“Mr. Chase proved her point. And if she would be here she would say, ‘See, I told you. I told you to have faith. See, I told you there’s kindness always,'” Disotell said.

For Wilson, returning the wallet was simply the right thing to do.

“I mean, if it would happen to me, I would like someone to do the same,” Wilson said.

As the year draws to a close, Wilson hopes his actions inspire others to help their community.

“Keep doing the next right thing. That’s really it,” Wilson said.

Disotell tells KATC that this experience has reinforced her belief in human kindness.

“I just want to say like always have faith. Never give up on hope of the kindness that can be bestowed upon you from others,” she said.

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

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By Peter Maxwell

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    HAZEL PARK, Michigan (WXYZ) — A Hazel Park home built with over 20,000 bottles is up for sale. The house located on West Elza Avenue was built in 1937 and is affectionately known in the community as the “bottle house” and has been catching the eyes of many over the years.

Carl Schiller, the homeowner, appreciates the historical significance of each bottle.

“What I love the most are these bottles all represent a moment in time,” Schiller said.

The Hazel Park bottle house was originally built in 1937 by Omar Reese, who worked at Dodge Main in Hamtramck. Every brick is covered in glass bottles from all over the world including Germany, Scotland and the United States.

Schiller explained why Reese decided to build the way he did.

“There was a timber worker strike in the Upper Peninsula. There was a UAW strike in 1937, so he landed on concrete block as his building material and then got the idea to have light reflecting off glass, which he took a fancy to,” Schiller said.

Schiller bought the bottle house in 2021, but behind the bottle-studded exterior, the house needed to be stripped down to its studs.

“It was just sort of a lost child. Maintenance deferred, the roof had leaked, which caused a lot of internal problems,” Schiller said.

Since then, the 1,225-square-foot house has been fully renovated and rebuilt with modern finishes like new floors, updated wiring, a redesigned kitchen and bath and an updated bonus room.

All renovations were completed while preserving touches of the original character and charm, especially in the basement.

“It was a labor of love for him and it was a labor of love for us to take it to the next level and to bring it into the next 90 years,” Schiller said.

The bottle house is on the market for $350,000 and Schiller hopes the new owners love it as much as he has.

“It’s a great story and no one will miss it driving down the street,” Schiller said.

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

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By Brett Kast

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    BRIGHTON, Michigan (WXYZ) — An 88-year-old veteran working as a cashier at a Michigan Meijer store has become an unlikely internet sensation after his story touched millions of people worldwide, leading to a fundraising campaign to help him retire for good.

Ed Bambas works at the Meijer in Brighton, a job he took after being retired for more than a decade to help pay his bills. His story caught the attention of social media influencers who are now helping spread awareness about his situation.

“It came out of the clear blue — I really truly mean that,” Bambas said about the sudden attention.

A video of Bambas working at his job has been viewed by nearly 4 million people on TikTok, though he hasn’t seen it on the platform himself.

“I’ve never been on those programs (TikTok and Instagram). I don’t own one of those fancy cellphones. In fact, I still have a flip phone just to talk to people,” Bambas said.

His charm contributed to the video going viral, but his story is what truly resonated with viewers. Bambas retired from General Motors in 1999 and expected to live in comfort together with his wife Joan.

“I felt comfortable. I felt I had a stable financial footing. I owned my house,” Bambas explained. “We didn’t have any major worries.”

But as a former salaried employee at GM, Bambas says he lost his pension in 2012 when the company went bankrupt. Then his wife became ill and Bambas became her full-time caretaker. She died 7 years ago, but the long illness accumulated significant medical bills.

“Once my wife died, I didn’t have enough income to pay for this place or all the other bills I had accumulated because of my wife’s illness,” Bambas said.

With debt to pay and his pension gone, Bambas knew he had no other option but returning to work, first at an Ace Hardware then as a cashier at Meijer.

“It wasn’t hard for me to do it because I knew I had to do it,” Bamabs said. “I’m fortunate God gave me a good enough body to be strong enough to stand there for eight, eight and a half hours a day.”

Samuel Weidenhofer, a positivity influencer on social media in Australia, heard about Bambas’ story from a comment on one of his videos.

“She said hey, I just want to let you know there’s a guy called Ed, I think she may have even said Bob, and he’s 82 years old — that’s all I knew,” Weidenhofer said. “No 88-year-old in America should work because they need to, and that breaks my heart.”

Weidenhofer booked a flight to Michigan and teamed up with Metro Detroit-based influencer Mike McKinstry to find Bambas.

“We walked around Meijer for about two hours and we were looking for this friendly, jolly older man and we ran into Ed at the checkout and knew it was him right away,” McKinstry said.

The video has led to the creation of an online fundraiser, with donations pouring in from around the world. The goal is to help Bambas retire for good. He and his wife Joan were married for over 50 years and had two children. In retirement, he plans to spend more time with those he loves.

“I just wanted to give him a chance to retire, you know? At least have some comfort. At first, I thought maybe there would be a little bit of support, but to see how much? It’s record breaking,” Weidenhofer said.

For Bambas, this has all come as a surprise. He doesn’t know the total amount raised so far but says throughout his life, his wife has always been by his side.

“I just try to be myself, with one exception. I think my wife sits on my shoulder and helps me do the right thing,” Bambas said. “I try very hard to go to her gravesite every day and say hi… It helps me get through my day — it really does,” Bambas said.

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

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Madison Myers

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    WACO, Texas (KXXV) — A Waco Cinemark is under investigation after multiple moviegoers reported mice inside the theater, including one man who says he was bitten during a film.

“As a movie theater they should have that under control, I don’t see how they let that get out of control,” said Waco resident Mark Uvalle.

Last month, 25 News told you about growing concerns from our neighbors regarding a mice issue at the Waco Cinemark.

“We like going to the movies but as soon as we heard that we were like nah we’re not going until it’s cleared up,” said Uvalle.

Since that story aired, many more viewers have reached out to our 25 News reporter Madison Myers directly, sharing their own experiences — including one man who sent us these photos after he claims a mouse bit his arm during a movie Sunday night.

He says he and several others immediately left the theater after the incident.

He also shared his emergency room paperwork, where doctors prescribed antibiotics for the bite.

Now neighbors tell 25 News they’re traveling elsewhere just to watch their favorite films.

“We actually went to AMC in Temple to watch Wicked. I have two daughters and they love Disney movies so we have been bummed out because it’s down the street from our house but we’ll make that drive because we’re not trying to see any rats,” said Uvalle.

You’ve asked for answers on what the theater is doing about it— so we contacted Cinemark. In a statement they said:

“Given nearby construction, we’ve strengthened our protocols and partnered with specialists to maintain high standards of cleanliness. We’re pleased with the progress and remain committed to delivering an outstanding moviegoing experience for every guest.” – Cinemark

But what will it take for our neighbors to return?

“They have to confirm that the rats are completely gone,” said Uvalle.

The City of Waco Health Department is currently investigating the issue, in a statement they said:

“Waco-McLennan County Public Health District Environmental Health continues to conduct an open and ongoing investigation. The department has performed onsite inspections and maintains direct communication with facility management one to three times per week. Cinemark has made significant progress in addressing the pest concerns, and its pest control provider has reported a substantial reduction in sightings over the past two weeks. Cinemark continues to follow routine disinfection protocols and remains actively engaged in pest abatement and elimination efforts.” – Clare Paul, Sr. Public Information & Communication Specialist, Waco-McLennan County Public Health District

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By Fernanda Silva

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    LIBERTY, Missouri (KSHB) — After finishing his full-time job, Phillip Grace could have gone home to relax with his family.

Instead, he spent hours driving through Liberty’s snow-covered roads with a shovel, helping families he barely knows clear their driveways after the winter storm.

One of the people Grace helped is Gail Spotts.

Spotts has an important doctor’s appointment on Tuesday. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to go because the snow had covered her driveway.

“If the sun was out, I’d probably get out there and try to shovel, but I would hurt the next day,” Spotts said.

Her hope came from someone she doesn’t even know — his name is Phillip Grace.

“With me being in a wheelchair, when I saw him out shoveling my driveway, I just wanted to come out and say thank you so much,” she said.

Phillip doesn’t meet most of the people he helps. They request assistance via Facebook, and most of the time that’s where he hears “thanks.”

“You’re just an angel that flies in, does good, and then flies away,” Gail said.

Her daughter, Emma Spotts, was the one who asked for his help.

“She’s been dealing with a lot. So just knowing this is done will be a relief for her,” Emma said.

After working his full-time job, instead of going home to spend time with his family and kids, Grace helped 13 families he knows very little about.

Grace had to navigate roads in Liberty to get from place to place. He said overall, road conditions were good.

The City of Liberty told me me they did not pretreat for this storm.

Crews put salt down at the start of the storm and spent hours plowing. They also say they’ll treat the roads tonight for possible refreezing.

“Just helping out anyone in the community that I can,” Grace said. “It never hurts to just offer a helping hand.”

“It gives me faith in humanity,” Spotts said.

Phillip wants to be part of something bigger. He wants to encourage other people to help the elderly and those with mobility issues.

“Everyone has a neighbor. So if we’re willing to help our neighbor, then we should all be able to figure everything out and give everyone a helping hand,” Grace said.

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By Samson Tamijani

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    CLAREMORE, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Rogers County District Attorney’s Office hosted its second annual “Tree of Hope” ceremony and vigil Dec. 2, honoring the surviving family and friends of victims killed in acts of violence.

“This is a building that they came to (where) they had to recount some really hard, really difficult things,” District Attorney Matt Ballard said before the event held inside the Rogers County Courthouse. “And now they get to come back and remember some of the good things. So our goal is to give those families hope, to give them something to look forward to.”

“It’s about remembering the sacrifices, the losses that you have, but it’s also about moving forward to something,” Ballard later told a small crowd of surviving family and friends.

“As we walk away from this place tonight, I hope we are able to join that little bit of bond that holds us together,” Sheriff Scott Walton said to the crowd.

“I think anything positive we can do, and even if it means coming to the place where a lot of it stemmed from – that makes it even better,” Billy Jacobson told 2 News.

Jacobson lost his nine-month-old son, also named Billy, to a murder-suicide in Verdigris in 2023.

Jacobson used his grief to advocate for the Three Angels Bill, which went into effect this September. It revises parental visitation, especially if one has a suicide risk.

“And I have heard from almost everyone that I know that’s involved in the legal side of things that it’s been applied to their cases,” Jacobson said. “They’ve seen it already making change, what from what we know it’s saving kids everywhere.”

Dec. 2 was only the second time Rogers County has hosted Tree of Hope, which is now an annual ceremony.

Jacobson, meanwhile, said his advocacy continues, with even a documentary in the works.

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By Will Thomas

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    GRANDY, North Carolina (WTKR) — The Corolla Wild Horse Fund’s farm in Grandy has a new resident nicknamed Topnotch. The wild horse will now spend the rest of his life on the farm with fellow wild horses that have been relocated — a decision the CWHF says is never easy, but at the end of the day, is where he’ll be safe.

“It’s heartbreaking that he did not get to live out all of his days in the wild as he should have, but on the other hand, now he’s safe, he’s cared for,” said Meg Puckett, director of herd management for the organization.

More than 100 wild horses call the northern Outer Banks home. But for Topnotch, that chapter of his more than 30-year life is now over. For the last five years, he’s grown more and more comfortable with human interaction, specifically when it comes to food.

“It’s something that we had been monitoring for about five years or so, we had started to see that kind of behavior begin to escalate. So it’s not something that’s happened overnight. Now it is very clear that he was very purposely fed food, and he knows what it is. Once that kind of habit starts, it’s very hard to stop. And then the more and more he’s fed, the more people he’s going to approach, whether they have food or not,” said Puckett.

Puckett explains that over the years these interactions have become dangerous for Topnotch and people.

“The issue begins to get especially bad when people don’t have food, they don’t have anything to offer him. He was becoming very defensive, and so rather than moving away, he was trying to get you to move away by kicking, biting, striking out,” said Puckett.

This summer, CWHF was already having conversations about Topnotch’s relocation, but those conversations were accelerated by local resident concerns. The CWHF decided to relocate the horse this fall, and a week ago, Topnotch became the newest resident at the farm.

“When you start to have members of the community come to you and express concerns, at that point, we knew that we were dealing with a very serious situation,” said Puckett.

Puckett feels this is an example of why laws are in place prohibiting people from feeding the horses and the importance of everyone following them for the health and survival of the wild herd.

“Humans are really these horses greatest threat, which is sad, but at the same time, we can fix that. We’re asking people to use this as an example of that, because he shouldn’t have ended up here,” said Puckett.

The CWHF staff has a journey ahead with domesticating Topnotch and making him comfortable. Right now, it’s a week-by-week process.

“Our main goal with him is to keep him comfortable, make sure that he feels secure here, that he starts to trust us, he stops seeing us as any kind of a threat or anything like that, and then to feed him. We have now got him on a diet that’s more appropriate for him, that’s appropriate for a horse’s age, and so that, that’s kind of been our main goal this week. From there, we start with domestication and luckily we can take it slow with him. We can kind of go at his own pace, he can be difficult, he’s got that behavior, and it’s never going to change, and so we have to be very careful with him,” said Puckett.

Puckett says that though this will be a process, the farm is the best and safest place for him to be for the rest of his life.

“He will always be food conditioned and aggressive, that’s never going to change. We are very grateful that we have the resources and the experience to keep him happy and healthy here and safe,” said Puckett.

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