Category: CNN Regional

By Colter Anstaett

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    NORFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — In honor of Memorial day, News 3 is highlighting the Navy funeral honor guard team at Naval Station Norfolk.

“You see anywhere from, I would say, eight [to] nine sailors,” said Mona Gunn, describing the honor guard at a funeral.

Gunn knows all too well the experience of a funeral with the Navy funeral honor guard.

“They’re there to escort the remains,” Gunn explained. “Of course for family it’s one of the toughest places to be, at that gravesite.”

Gunn’s son, Cherone, was killed in the USS Cole attack in 2000. The ship was, and as of 2026 still was, home-ported in Norfolk.

“It’s just the solemn occasion,” Gunn said about seeing the honor guard at the funeral. “But, it means a lot because it’s the last act of honor.”

News 3 first talked with her and her family a few days after the attack. At the time, she pictured her son in the mess hall on the ship.

“I knew he was there, probably, eating, joking. Being a happy person,” Gunn told News 3 in 2000.

For members of the honor guard, the solemn job is one they are proud to take on.

“When they asked me if I wanted to do it I was honored to be honest,” said BM2 Matthew Mudderman.

For the funeral honor guard team members, being part of the team is not only an honor but something that helps them as well.

“It gives me comfort knowing that if the training we do here continues on that the professionalism that will be delivered to my family when I go,” Mudderman said.

“It gives me a lot of clarity as well, because what we speak, for the honorable and faithful service, that means a lot to a lot of people,” YNSN Tashya Campbel said.

The team covers nearly two dozen states, going to around 20,000 funerals a year.

“You never really get immune to grieving families,” said Navy Casualty and Funeral Honors Team Program Manager ray Cunnikin.

Cunnikin showed News 3 some of the many letters of thanks the team has received.

“They make sure that whenever they’re out in the field that the family feels as though the Navy and the military service of their fallen service member mattered,” Cunnikin said.

“Seeing them, and knowing he was in the Navy and they were there to honor him says a lot but it doesn’t erase that pain,” said Gunn.

The honor guard can be requested for service members who died while active duty or veterans as long as they were not dishonorably discharged.

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 Carlos E. Castañeda

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    SANTA ROSA, California (KPIX) — A man in distress who climbed atop of a bus in Santa Rosa spent the next 10 hours perched atop the bus before officers were able to safely bring him down, police said.

The Santa Rosa Police Department said in a post on social media that the incident began at about 9:21 p.m. Sunday when officers responded to the area of Mendocino and McConnell avenues near Santa Rosa Junior College regarding someone on top of a Sonoma County Transit bus who had called 911 repeatedly asking for help.

Officers arrived and cleared the bus of riders and closed off the surrounding area. Police said officers communicated with the man and repeatedly offered help but he refused to come down from the bus. It was determined that initiating physical contact with the man could increase the risk of injury to him, the officers, or bystanders.

The standoff lasted through the night as officers used de-escation techniques while evaluating the safest way to resolve the situation, police said.

At about 6:56 a.m., the man came down from the bus and was safely detained without injury, police said. He was identified as 47-year-old Byron Poindexter of Pittsburg.

Poindexter was arrested and charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.

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By Audra Schroeder

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    LAKE PARK, Florida (WPTV) — A West Palm Beach man allegedly broke into a Lake Park store to steal Pokémon cards — using a chainsaw.

According to an arrest report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton Warren, 33, was arrested and charged with burglary and grand theft after the owner of Collection Realm in Lake Park contacted PBSO on May 21 to report an overnight burglary.

Surveillance video showed a man using a battery-powered chainsaw to cut a triangle into the hurricane-proof front window. In the process, blood was left behind. Warren initially attempted to break the window with a rock.

After watching surveillance video, the owner estimated that $12,000 worth of Pokémon cards were taken — both sleeved cards and bulk bonus cards. Surveillance also showed that a man matching Warren’s appearance had been in the store on May 19.

Investigators used a license plate reader to locate Warren’s vehicle, which was captured on surveillance cameras, and found it was registered to a West Palm Beach address. A search warrant was provided and Warren was arrested at the home.

He is being charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and grand theft greater than $10,000 but less than $20,000.

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 Cassandra Garcia

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    LOXAHATCHEE, Florida (WPTV) — A Palm Beach County mother is counting her blessings after her 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter’s drowning scare on Easter. On Saturday, she got the chance to thank the first responders who saved her daughter’s life.

The reunion in Loxahatchee brought together Lennox and the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue crew who treated her after she was found floating in a pool at an Easter family gathering.

“You saved us and I appreciate you,” Lennox’s mother, Chrissy, told the first responders at the reunion.

The last time they met, Lennox was in and out of consciousness, pulled from a pool and fighting for every breath.

“Truly a gift to be able to see her, hear her laugh and to hold her,” Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Lt. Jason Frisbie said.

Chrissy said she thought her daughter was safe with family when things took a dramatic turn.

“It was a fight or flight mode. It just — I don’t know as a mom, you just kind of went in and just kind of took some of the training that I had known in my past and just kind of went full force and started doing CPR on her,” Chrissy said.

Those chest compressions and rescue breaths were the difference between life and death, according to Frisbie.

“It was crucial in her successful recovery. Without that, it might have been a different outcome,” Frisbie said.

Chrissy said she is forever grateful to those who rendered aid.

“They treated my child as if they were their own and that meant the world to me,” Chrissy said.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue used the morning to stress the importance of CPR training, teaching others how to respond in emergencies. The message comes at a critical time, as 2 toddlers drowned in separate incidents just this week: one in Palm Beach Gardens and another in Port St. Lucie, which resulted in death.

Fire rescue officials stressed the importance of vigilance and education as the summer months approach.

“Definitely [take] CPR classes, also swimming classes early for children,” Frisbie said.

Chrissy is now echoing that same message to other parents.

“As a parent, if you’re a new mom or you’re a parent that has two or three kids, get CPR, get some type of knowledge because you never know,” Chrissy said. “If it wasn’t for that, my daughter wouldn’t be here right now,” Chrissy said.

Lennox now serves as living proof that when seconds count, knowledge saves lives.

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

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By Jarvis Robertson

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    BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — One of the biggest moments of Branden Jackson’s life became even more memorable Friday, thanks to a surprise guest at his graduation from Huffman High School.

Just after crossing the stage, he was shocked to see his father, Air Force Master Sgt. Tobias Jackson, who flew home from Japan to attend the ceremony.

Before his name was called, Branden shook an officer’s hand and quietly said, “I made it.”

Moments later, the surprise unfolded as Tobias Jackson greeted his son after he received his diploma. Branden appeared stunned as the two embraced while the crowd applauded and cheered from the audience.

Master Sgt. Jackson, an 18-year Air Force veteran, has been stationed in Japan for the past three years. His son did not know he had arranged leave to return for graduation.

“It’s been very hard to keep it under wraps. He’s grown into such a great young man, and he understands the significance of what we do and how we do it. When he thought I was not going to make it, his response was, ‘I completely understand,'” Master Sgt. Jackson said before the big moment. “It took a lot of planning, but I definitely was not going to miss this. I knew this was a very large milestone, more than what people think.”

Branden said he believed his father would have to watch the ceremony through a social media livestream after being told he could not make the trip from Japan. The surprise had been planned for weeks by both of his parents.

“Just to fly for 36 hours, I’m a little bit jet lagged still … I wasn’t going to miss this for the world,” Jackson said.

Branden said he did not recognize his father at first.

“When I first saw him, I didn’t recognize him…. I saw the face and it was amazing… I don’t even know how to explain it,” he said.

The graduation reunion was not the only surprise waiting for Branden. After the ceremony, his father gifted him a new car. The surprise came one day after Branden received his driver’s license.

Now that Branden is officially a high school graduate, he wants to follow in his father’s footsteps by pursuing a career in the Air Force and focusing on cybersecurity.

Although this reunion is sweet, it will be short. Tobias has to fly back to Japan on Tuesday.

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 Allie Ware

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    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — Archaeologists at the University of Mississippi Medical Center have unearthed 1,070 graves from the site of the former Mississippi State Lunatic Asylum, uncovering artifacts and insights into life at the institution more than a century ago.

The excavation, part of the Asylum Hill Project, began in 2022 and has been hindered by Yazoo clay and poor drainage, which have left little preserved over the past 100 years. A construction crew digging for a road initially came across the caskets in 2013.

“We have a few bone fragments, a few teeth, and the nails from the wooden coffin,” said Jennifer Mack, lead archaeologist.

The team is working under strict legal and ethical protocols, aiming to eventually reunite the remains with their families. However, records from the 18th and 19th centuries are limited, and families who were not nearby often lacked the means to retrieve their loved ones.

“It seems if the family was not contacted in 24 hours, they were buried in the cemetery,” Mack said.

While death certificates from 1912 to 1935 exist, no cemetery map or markers remain to positively identify the remains. Archaeologists noted that the burials appeared to have been conducted respectfully.

“Every single person buried here was in his or her own coffin and in [their] own grave, and they were lined up neatly,” Mack said.

The findings are shedding light on the lives of individuals who lived at a time when mental illness was poorly understood and care for many diagnoses was limited.

“Someone may have depression, but they may have a heart condition, so there were many comorbidities and a lot of elderly people that came here,” said Lida Key, director of the Medical History Museum.

“Most fascinating to me is what demonstrates personal relationships in the asylum,” Mack said.

Artifacts such as coins, jewelry, and makeshift formal clothing have been found in many of the graves, suggesting care and connection.

“That’s not something you do for a random stranger,” Mack said.

“What we have learned is there was good and bad, and we want to learn from that and see what we can learn from mental illness today,” Key said.

UMMC researchers are asking families to share photographs, letters, memories, or stories about loved ones connected to the asylum. With an estimated 7,000 graves on the grounds, much work remains to uncover clues and restore lost names.

Plans are underway to build a mausoleum to house unclaimed remains and showcase possessions found, providing a final resting place and preserving the stories of those buried at the site.

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By Pattrik Perez, Brandon Hogan

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    VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A 23-year-old woman who spent 13 days in jail after being wrongfully arrested in connection with a deadly crash on Interstate 4 is speaking out about her ordeal as newly obtained court documents describe the investigation leading to who prosecutors now say was responsible.

Lindsey Isaacs was arrested in April after the Florida Highway Patrol accused her of being behind the wheel of a Dodge Durango that caused a crash on I-4 near mile marker 108 in Volusia County on Oct. 4, 2025. The crash killed three people: motorcyclist Joaquin Deno, Flagler County Deputy Administrator Jorge Salinas, and his wife, Nancy Salinas.

Isaacs faced eight charges, including three counts of leaving the scene of a crash with death, vehicular homicide, and reckless driving causing serious injury, according to the arrest report.

On Friday, more than a month after her arrest, the state attorney’s office in Volusia County dropped all charges against her.

“Being incarcerated, falsely incarcerated, in jail, in G Block, was the worst 13 days in my life,” Isaacs said Saturday at the Volusia County Courthouse.

Her attorney, Patrick McGeehan, said his team used time-distance analysis to prove Isaacs could not have been at the crash scene when the collision occurred.

According to the arrest report, troopers cited a Flock license-plate reader camera that captured Isaacs’ tag traveling eastbound on I-4 at the Seminole/Volusia County line at 9:51 p.m., approximately 3 miles west of the crash scene. The crash occurred at about 9:53 p.m.

“In our investigation, we took that distance, the speed of travel, and we were able to determine that Ms. Isaacs was well past the accident scene when the accident occurred,” McGeehan said.

Troopers also claimed in the arrest report that they “observed what appears to be ‘smudge or rub marks’ in the area(s) where the fresh damage was located on the Durango, appearing that it was attempted to be cleaned or wiped away.” They also stated, “The height of these observed smudges or rub marks are also consistent with the Durango sideswiping a motorcycle.”

But McGeehan said photos of the vehicle in storage disproved those claims.

“This is a 2025 Dodge Durango that is black, and it is absolutely immaculate as it was the day she drove it off the showroom floor. There was absolutely no damage to Lindsay Isaacs’ vehicle,” McGeehan said. “As soon as we did the vehicle inspection in this case, we knew she was innocent. It was just a matter of convincing the state attorney.”

When asked about FHP’s handling of the investigation, McGeehan did not mince words.

“It’s something we’ve seen before. This is probably the worst example I’ve seen,” he said.

Isaacs said she is seeking therapy after the experience and hopes time will heal the pain she suffered.

“I feel there’s really no way of fixing what they did to me. It will always hurt me. My reputation was ruined. I’m still receiving death threats and hate. It’s very hard,” Isaacs said.

FHP told WESH 2 News the investigation is ongoing and that, based on new evidence, another woman has been arrested in connection with the crash.

Alisa Lee Montalvo, 47, of Deltona, was arrested Friday on nine charges, including three counts of vehicular homicide, three counts of leaving the scene of a crash with death, leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury, reckless driving, and tampering with evidence.

New court documents obtained Saturday by WESH 2 News allege Montalvo was driving a maroon 2021 Dodge Durango that was mistaken for Isaacs’ black vehicle of the same make and model.

Montalvo’s arrest affidavit states Assistant State Attorney Mike Willard contacted FHP ten days after Isaacs was jailed to request crash reconstruction and investigative support, having found discrepancies in the investigation up to that point.

It was learned that a witness who called the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office the night of the crash had reported the suspect vehicle was maroon and provided the first three digits of a license-plate number that was later found to be consistent with Montalvo’s Durango, which was seen in March on community video surveillance to have different shades of red on its driver-side doors than what could be observed in other such images captured before the crash, according to Montalvo’s arrest affidavit.

It was further confirmed that, after the crash, Montalvo had her driver-side doors replaced and filed no insurance claim, as well as that red or maroon paint was found on the damaged areas of the Ford Focus that Isaacs was initially accused of striking with her black Durango, the affidavit states.

“The area of this crash is in a very dark location with no streetlights or ambient lighting in the area. A maroon vehicle can appear to be black in a setting such as this during a high stressful event for an untrained observer. (…) All this evidence supports a maroon Durango and not a black Durango,” the affidavit states. “We have probable cause to believe that the driving actions of Montalvo in a reckless manner caused and contributed to this fatal crash. This facts also support that Montalvo left the scene and did not report the crash to the authorities. By contacting (a mechanic) to repair the damage to her vehicle clearly shows Montalvo not only knew the crash (happened) but tried to conceal and destroy evidence of her crimes.”

Isaacs’ attorney said they are pursuing all legal avenues regarding her wrongful arrest. Isaacs still faces a civil case filed by the families of the victims, but McGeehan expects that will be dropped now that her criminal charges have been dismissed.

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By Nehilah Grand-Pierre

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    CAPE CORAL, Florida (WBBH) — A Cape Coral home displaying anti-Trump signs has sparked complaints from neighbors and city code enforcement action, leaving $2,000 in citations, according to the homeowner.

“As long as it doesn’t bother me, why am I calling code?” said Denzil Dunkly, in Cape Coral, reacting to the picture.

The signs included messages such as “RepubliKKKans are dumb” spelled with “KKK” and “Elect a rapist,” according to a neighbor who says they complained to Cape Coral code enforcement.

“A rapist or your President rapes children… That’s right there on that yellow sign that’s laying on the flag right now. Talking about pedophilia, forcing sex change on children, eating cats and dogs, just like, really kind of not the best thing. When you drive in through this neighborhood, it’s just a poor reflection,” neighbor Jessica Hilghman said.

A neighbor who complained said they were placed on the easement, which is technically city property. Cape Coral city code prohibits signs on public rights of way, defined as six feet away from the road.

The homeowner was unavailable for an in-person interview but communicated via text, stating that when code enforcement removed the signs, no measurements were taken beforehand.

The city says it will be able to review the case in the coming days.

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By Tim Nazzaro

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    ATTLEBORO, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A young child made a heartfelt donation to the Capron Park Zoo in Attleborough, Massachusetts, as they try to overcome financial struggles.

The zoo posted to its Facebook page that a young supporter named Anne Marie dropped off a coffee can full of money, along with a thoughtful note.

The note read in part:

“Dear Capron Park Zoo, I’ve been saving money for months in this jar. I wanted to give it to a good cause, but I had no idea what. When my mom told me you were running out of money, I knew exactly who I wanted to give it to – you. I hope my gift of $101 helps keep you open for years to come. It might not be that much, but I hope it will be enough to help. Good luck with any and all future endeavors and accomplishments.”

The zoo thanked the child for believing in their mission and wanting to make an impact.

“Your kindness means more than words can express, and your gift is helping support the animals, our guests, and the future of the zoo,” the Capron Park Zoo wrote on its Facebook page. “Moments like this remind us just how important community is.”

The financial future of the zoo has been a topic of contention amongst the Attleborough community.

Earlier this year, Mayor Cathleen DeSimone announced plans to close the zoo and turn it into a nature reserve.

The announcement received backlash, and the mayor later said the zoo would remain open for the time being with “free cash” through the 2027 fiscal year.

According to the mayor, the zoo needs around $57 million in capital improvements.

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By Sheldon Ingram

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — Army Cpl. Charles Carroll Jr. was laid to rest Friday next to his mother, Louise, after he was killed in 1950 during the Korean War.

The following is the obituary that chronicles the life of Carroll, a story told by his surviving niece, Liana Gray.

“Rather than finish high school, during the Autumn of 1949, Buddy enlisted in the Army, serving in B Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was eventually sent to Korea. Buddy was a casualty of the retreat from the Chosin Reservoir. On December 2nd, 1950, he was killed, and his body was left behind as the UN forces could only bring out the walking wounded. He was listed as Missing in Action, although by a curious set of circumstances, his family found out he was dead before he was declared Killed in Action at the end of the War in 1953. His death had been witnessed by a friend who wrote to his mother about it (before he himself was killed). She, in turn, sent a sympathy card to Buddy’s family. The two mothers corresponded with one another throughout the years until Louise’s death in 1987, at which time Valerie continued the correspondence until the other mother’s death.

Louise was always hopeful that Buddy’s remains would be located and identified so he could be brought home and buried with her. Valerie promised her mother that this would be done if he were ever identified, and in 1998, she became part of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s DNA project, which was using mitochondrial DNA for identification purposes. Liana contributed her DNA in 2011.

Seven decades passed, and everyone who knew Buddy had died. On Oct. 3, 2025, Liana received the call that Buddy’s remains had been identified. Through several phone calls and a meeting with the Army, she learned that during Operation Glory (1954), North Korea returned remains believed to be those of American service members, including one set designated as Unknown X-15841. These remains, reportedly recovered from the east side of the Chosin Reservoir, were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu (The Punch Bowl). On May 16, 2022, as part of Phase Four of DPAA’s Korean War Disinterment Project, X-15841 was disinterred and accessioned into a DPAA Laboratory for analysis. There, scientists used modern forensic techniques, including the DNA donated by his sister and niece, to identify Buddy, on Aug. 5, 2025.

He is being returned to Pittsburgh for a dignified transfer of his remains on May 14. He will receive full military honors upon arrival at the airport, and his motorcade will include an honor guard to the funeral home. The family will have a public visitation on May 22, from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Edward P Kanai Funeral Home, 500 Greenfield Avenue. 15207. He will receive a military funeral and be buried in the family plot at Calvary Cemetery, with his mother, as she wished. Following the visitation, all are welcome to attend.

The family wants to thank all the scientists, members of the DPAA, Army personnel, and others who made it possible to bring Buddy home. May his mother’s and sister’s hearts now be at peace.”

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