Dozens of sharp spikes found at 2 parks, police say

CNN Newsource on February 22, 2026

By Nick Lentz

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    LAPEER, Michigan (WWJ) — Police in Lapeer, Michigan, are investigating after more than 40 sharp spikes, described by officials as fence spikes, were found in two city parks.

Officers responded to Cramton Park during the afternoon of Feb. 13 for a report of a spike device found on playground equipment, according to officials. The item was given to police, who searched the area and found nine other spikes buried under snow. All were placed with the sharp ends facing upward.

“Continued sweeps of Cramton Park have since recovered a total of 23 spikes,” police said in a news release on Thursday.

Officials added that between Monday and Wednesday, 21 spikes were found at Rotary Park, which is just over a mile northeast of Cramton Park.

Police say they’re searching through all city parks and are urging residents to be on the lookout.

Officials ask anyone who sees suspicious activity or hazardous items to call the Lapeer Police Department at 810-664-0833 and avoid removing the items themselves

City officials say they’re working on improving lighting and security at all parks.

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.

Twin Cities metro musicians release protest song to raise funds for the ACLU-MN

CNN Newsource on February 22, 2026

By Ray Campos

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Musicians across the Twin Cities Metro area have released a protest song to raise money for the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota.

“I wrote this song on the day that Alex Pretti was murdered,” said Katy Vernon, musician and songwriter of “They Lie.” “It all came out in a stream of emotion,” Vernon said. “Seeing the murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, it just felt like the city was under attack.”

Katy Vernon, a British immigrant, said she wrote the song “They Lie” as an emotional response to how DHS officials responded to Pretti’s death.

“The storylines of everything we saw, anyone who watched. It was so obvious that what we were then told by at least two spokespeople from the administration was so obviously a lie,” said Vernon.

Together with the help of Kevin Bowe, who produced the song using his guitar, bass and keyboard. Paul Odegaard contributed the trumpet and Peter Anderson on the drums.

“We got this dreamy feeling on top of all this aggression and I think that the mix of those two things bumping against each other. It felt like how we were in Minneapolis, back to this sadness and anger,” said Bowe. “That’s what brought the track together.”

In addition to the single, Vernon reached out to fellow musician Jason Chaffee to help create a music video.

“He was out on the streets, in his own neighborhood. Filming neighbors and ICE activity, and at whipple. He was out there daily,” said Vernon. “When I wrote this song I reached out to him and asked if he would be interested.”

Released on January 20th, Jason Chaffee’s music video features moments he captured while being out at protests and memorials.

Operation Metro Surge has sparked ongoing debates in Minnesota over immigration enforcement tactics and their effects on local communities.

For Bowe, music and intentional lyrics are important in times of tragedy.

“That’s what artists do. Farmers grow crops, artists write songs. This is what’s happening right now, and what’s motivating us,” said Bowe. “Of the best lyrics ever written, are that, where they just say it.”

Each sale of the single “They Lie,” will go towards ACLU Minnesota.

“The reason I wanted to shine a light on all of this and raise money for the ACLU Minnesota. The ACLU is one part of who is going to hold people accountable for this,” said Vernon.

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.

University of Chicago-led team discovers new species of dinosaur in Sahara

CNN Newsource on February 22, 2026

By Adam Harrington, Natalie McMillan

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A team led by the University of Chicago said it has discovered a new species of dinosaur — a fish-eating giant, and the first new species of its kind discovered in a century.

In 2019, a team led by celebrity UChicago paleontologist Paul Sereno led a 20-person group on an expedition to the central Sahara in the West African country of Niger. They found a bone in the shape of a scimitar — a sword with a curved blade — but they didn’t recognize it for what it was right away, the university said.

Further research determined that it was the head crest of a new species of dinosaur called Spinosaurus mirabilis, or hell heron. It took a return visit in 2022, two more head crests, and a 3D digital skull assembly powered by solar panels in the desert before the researchers figured out what it was.

“The gravity of this, you have to understand, is really the first time that Spinosaurus skull material has been found in over a century,” Sereno said.

Sereno and his team were inspired by a discovery by a French geologist referenced in a monograph from the 1950s. At the turn of the last century, the geologist had found one saber-shaped fossilized tooth that appeared like those of the giant predator Carcharodontosaurus, UChicago said.

In 2019, Sereno’s team headed to the Sahara and met a local Tuareg man who took them to the area in Niger where what turned out to be Spinosaurus mirabilis bones were found, UChicago said.

Sereno and his team returned and found more bones in 2022. Back in Chicago, Sereno and his team cleaned and conducted a CT scan on the teeth and bones of the Spinosaurus mirabilis to create a digital skull rendering, UChicago said.

Sereno then worked with paleoartist Dani Navarro in Madrid to create an action scene involving Spinosaurus mirabilis.

The discovery of Spinosaurus mirabilis also sheds light on the evolution of the Spinosaurus genus, UChicago said. Based on the texture and interior vascular canals of the head crest, experts believe it was sheathed in keratin and brightly colored, “curving toward the sky as a blade-shaped beacon,” UChicago said.

Spinosaurus mirabilis also has a skull with interlocking teeth. The teeth on the lower jaw protrude and interlock between those on the upper jaw, making for a deadly fish trap, UChicago said.

Spinosaurid bones had previously been found in coastal deposits close to the ocean, leading some to believe they had been fully aquatic and had gone after fish underwater, UChicago said. But the new discovery of Spinosaurus mirabilis indicates that they lived inland too, and given their proximity to the partial skeletons of long-necked dinosaurs in river sediments, it is believed Spinosaurus mirabilis lived in areas with rivers, the university said.

Two replicas of Spinosaurus mirabilis will join the Dinosaur Expedition exhibit at the Chicago Children’s Museum.

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Record-breaking Girl Scout Pim gets her own day

CNN Newsource on February 22, 2026

By Josh Taylor

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Friday was “Pim Neill Day” in the city of Pittsburgh. The 6-year-old is doing something no one has ever done as a Girl Scout, going viral for her cookie-selling ambitions.

In her first season, she has sold more than 100,000 boxes of cookies, and on Friday, she even got to sell a couple of boxes in the mayor’s office.

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor welcomed Neill and her dad into the mayor’s office on Friday for a special ceremony. The mayor presented her with a proclamation that officially declared today as Pim Neill Day.

Neill and her family are residents of the city, although Neill’s Girl Scout troop is based in the Baldwin-Whitehall area.

As of Friday afternoon, she has officially sold more than 117,000 boxes of cookies. It’s thanks to a social media campaign that has seen multiple videos go viral. She even sold 20,000 in one day.

O’Connor says you can tell she has a “passion” for selling cookies, and her story is a positive message for everyone.

“I think it’s amazing what her story is to so many people, and how many people she has inspired. And then to have her be from Pittsburgh, it really helps promote our city too. So she’s not only inspiring people, but she’s helping to promote Pittsburgh and the city. Credit to her, she was very aggressive in getting me to buy cookies.”

Neill’s original goal was 10,000 cookies and then once she passed that, it became 100,000. Now she has her eye on the career record of boxes sold by one Girl Scout that is around 180,000.

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.

Photos verify wild tale of Hudson River ice rescue after family drove car on frozen surface

CNN Newsource on February 22, 2026

By Tony Aiello

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — While this winter has been tough, it hasn’t been as tough as the winter of 1917.

It was 109 years ago when the Hudson River became frozen solid for 40 days. Ferries couldn’t run, so adventurous souls drove their cars – and even raced – between New York’s Westchester and Rockland counties.

The accident happened near the landing at Nyack. The car ended up submerged under 10 feet of water.

On Feb. 12, 1917, the ice opened, and nearly swallowed the car that carried Bob Klebe’s grandfather, uncle and mother, who was just 12 years old at the time.

“Hockey players came and saved my mother by wrapping one of their hockey sticks around her scarf and pulled her out of the Hudson River. The whole story is just unbelievable all the way around,” Klebe said.

Klebe, a Yonkers native who now lives in St. Louis, is downsizing, and his mother’s desk ended up at a vintage boutique. A customer discovered it had a secret compartment, holding an envelope with photos of that icy drama.

“The whole family knew the story but we hadn’t seen the pictures of the car going through the ice,” Klebe said.

There were no photos in the 1917 newspaper accounts, and Klebe said some may have doubted his mother when she told the tale of the car in the river.

“I think it’s a great story, but a lot of people would say ‘no way,'” Klebe said.

He said he’s not sure why his mother never pulled out the pictures that were hidden in her desk, but he’s happy to have them now. It’s history frozen in a photo that was captured on the frozen Hudson River.

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.

Adorable video shows rare four-eared cat in Alabama

CNN Newsource on February 21, 2026

By Lisa Crane

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    PELHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — Everyone thinks their pet is pretty special. But Dobby, a 7-month-old black cat, is one in a million with a rare genetic mutation that will make you smile from ear to ear.

Stephanie Brown is fostering this irresistible kitty, who also has a short, curled tail caused by his condition and a severe underbite that will require surgery. But once he heals from that, he’ll be adopted. Brown said she’ll be sad to see him go, but knows some family will be lucky to have him.

“I hope he gets a home with a kid. He loves children. And again, that’s something that’s a bit more unusual for cats. He really has responded so positively. He’s more comfortable with my daughter than adults. And so, I hope he gets a kid,” she said.

Brown has a soft spot for unique cats, like her own pet, Phoebe. She has cerebellar hypoplasia, a neurological disorder. Pheobe has her own social media pages.

“I think the differences are completely beautiful. But I think it’s a matter of embracing all of those differences and understanding, just like people, every creature, every animal is going to have their own unique personality, presentation, conditions, appearance, everything like that,” she said.

Dobby is so special; there is a list of people ready to adopt him when he is ready to go. So, they’ve actually closed the applications on him. But the good news is, there are hundreds more cats at Kitty Cat Haven & Rescue, and other animal rescues in central Alabama waiting for good homes. They may not have four ears, but they are all special in their own way.

Brown is fostering Dobby through Kitty Kat Haven. That surgery is expected to cost about $3,000. They’re working now to raise that money so he can hopefully be ready for adoption by May.

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.

Families identify 6 mothers killed in California’s deadliest avalanche as search pauses

CNN Newsource on February 21, 2026

By Daniel Macht, Jonathan Ayestas

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    TRUCKEE, California (KCRA) — Families on Thursday identified six of the eight backcountry skiers killed in California’s deadliest avalanche in the state’s recorded history. Another skier who has yet to be found is also presumed dead.

The six known victims of the avalanche are:

Carrie Atkin Liz Clabaugh Danielle Keatley Kate Morse Caroline Sekar Kate Vitt

“We are devastated beyond words,” a statement from the families said. “Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honoring the lives of these extraordinary women. They were all mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors.”

The statement said the women were “passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains.”

They lived in the San Francisco Bay area, Idaho and the Truckee-Tahoe region.

Vitt was a streaming music executive with more than a decade of experience in the industry. Most recently, she worked at SiriusXM in San Francisco, where she served as a Vice President of Product Operations and Customer Success. Affiliate KTVU confirmed she left the company in 2025.

Before that, Vitt’s LinkedIn profile shows she worked at Pandora for more than eight years.

She graduated from Boston College in 2004 with a degree in English, affiliate WCVB confirmed.

Sekar and Clabaugh were sisters, family members told The New York Times.

Sekar, 45, lived in San Francisco with her husband and two children, a neighbor told the San Francisco Chronicle. Jen Wofford said Sekar was “the sunshine” of the block who was positive and always smiled.

Clabaugh, 52, lived in Boise, Idaho. Her LinkedIn profile shows she was a clinical educator and coordinator at St. Luke’s Health System.

Carrie Atkin was a former corporate executive and Division I athlete.

She had a BA in Applied Mathematics with Economics from Harvard University.

Atkin lived in Lake Tahoe with her husband and two children.

Danielle Keatley was from Marin County. She and her husband founded Keatley Wines in Healdsburg.

Keatley grew up in Connecticut before spending several years in Provence, France. She attended the University of Virginia before moving to San Francisco.

Kate Morse was from Marin County. She joined biotech firm Septerna in 2025 as the Vice President of Commercial Strategy.

“Kate was a devoted wife and mother who proudly brought her children to the office, serving as a truly caring and powerful example to our teams, ” said Jeff Finer, CEO and Co-founder of Septerna, in a statement on LinkedIn.

“Kate’s absence has been deeply felt these past few days as we attempt to grapple with the unimaginable reality of losing her,” Finer said. “We will continue to miss her presence, and our hearts will keep Kate’s memory and family close in the time ahead.”

Timeline of the ski trip and rescue operation The group of 15 skiers had embarked upon a three-day excursion over Presidents Day weekend. They arrived to stay at the Frog Lake huts near Castle Peak on February 15, according to Blackbird Mountain Guides.

The group was wrapping up their mountain adventure when an avalanche swept them away around 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 17. Despite learning about the snow slide shortly after it happened, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said fierce blizzard conditions made accessing the avalanche scene difficult to reach.

Search and rescue crews, comprising volunteers and multiple agencies, arrived at the site at 5:30 p.m. Once they got there, they took a snowcat for two miles before skiing the rest of the way to avoid the risk of another avalanche.

What they found was an employee with Blackbird Mountain Guides and five clients, the only survivors. Three other guides and six clients died following the avalanche.

On Thursday, the sheriff’s office said it paused efforts to recover the bodies amid hazardous weather conditions. Until the bodies are pulled from the mountain, officials will not be able to identify those killed.

The statement from the families of the victims said there were eight skiers on the trip together, and all were close friends.

“They were experienced backcountry skiers who deeply respected the mountains,” the statement said. “They were trained and prepared for backcountry travel and trusted their professional guides on this trip. They were fully equipped with avalanche safety equipment.”

The families said they were “profoundly grateful for the extensive rescue efforts by Nevada County Search and Rescue, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue and all of the authorities involved, and for the outpouring of support from the Tahoe community and beyond.”

“We are heartbroken and are doing our best to care for one another and our families in the way we know these women would have wanted,” the statement said. “We are asking for privacy and space as our families grieve this sudden and profound loss.”

This avalanche occurred roughly one mile from another deadly avalanche that happened in January, which buried a snowmobiler. Since 1950, California has experienced 57 fatal avalanches.

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Driver moves barriers, gets stuck in mudslide on closed highway

CNN Newsource on February 21, 2026

By Ricardo Tovar

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KSBW) — A nearly 7-mile stretch near Regent’s Slide has been closed on Highway 1 since heavy rains began earlier this week.

However, that hasn’t stopped travelers from trying to get around it.

The California Highway Patrol said a driver moved road-closure barriers and signs and tried to pass through the Regent’s Slide area, only to have the vehicle disabled after entering the mudslide.

“The California Highway Patrol reminds everyone to obey road signs and closures. Please respect closures — they are in place to protect you,” the agency said in a news release.

Earlier this week, drivers got out of their vehicles and attempted to throw rocks onto the road in an effort to clear debris, the CHP said.

The CHP said Highway 1 will remain closed until the rain subsides and crews can assess the roadway. There is no estimate for when the road will reopen.

Highway 1 was fully reopened and reconnected Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties a little over a month ago after three years of intermittent closures due to slides at multiple locations.

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‘I’m dying’: Patient’s plea revealed in ambulance theft charges

CNN Newsource on February 21, 2026

By Mariana La Roche

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    WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wisconsin (WISN) — A Stevens Point man faces charges of stealing a Wisconsin Rapids ambulance with a patient still in the back, then running from police in a chase that ended in a muddy corn field, according to a criminal complaint in Wood County Circuit Court.

Benjamin L. Feltz, 37, is accused of taking the ambulance and is charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, attempting to flee or elude an officer and operating while under the influence (third offense), court records show.

Two emergency medical services workers told police they were dispatched for a medical call and were in the back of the ambulance when they heard a door close and saw a man they believed was nude in the driver’s seat, according to the complaint. They yelled, “What are you doing?” “Get out!” and “Stop.” but the ambulance drove off anyway

An officer spotted the ambulance and tried to stop it, but the driver did not pull over and a pursuit began, the complaint says. Authorities said the chase ran about 18.29 miles and reached speeds “in excess of 90mph” before the ambulance became stuck in a muddy corn field.

The patient in the ambulance told an officer she screamed at the driver, “You (expletive), I’m dying from kidney disease,” and said she feared for her life, the complaint says.

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Wisconsin resident rescues two ice fishermen from freezing pond

CNN Newsource on February 21, 2026

By TJ Dysart

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    DOUSMAN, Wisconsin (WISN) — Ryan Rossi, a resident of Dousman, quickly responded to cries for help and rescued two ice fishers who fell into a freezing pond near his home on Thursday afternoon.

The incident occurred just after 1:30 p.m. at a private pond near Red Pine Circle, according to officials from the Western Lakes Fire Department.

Rossi heard screams from the pond while in the basement of his home.

“I kind of grabbed a sand rake and started inching out there in my shorts and T-shirt,” Rossi said. “I was able to get them out safely, but you know the ice kept breaking on everybody.”

The Western Lakes Fire Department had previously issued a warning on Facebook about the dangers of ice sports as temperatures rise.

Battalion Chief Travis Giannini emphasized the risks, stating,

“No ice is safe ice; there is always the potential to fall through,” Battalion Chief Travis Giannini said.

Giannini responded to the scene with a dive team but found the fishers had already been rescued.

“They were actually pulled from the water before we even got there, so they’re very fortunate for that,” Gianni said.

Giannini highlighted the dangers of hypothermia, noting, “You can go into hypothermia pretty quick. I don’t know how cold the water was, but the ice being on top of it, it’s at least less than 32 degrees, and your body’s core temperature is 98.7.”

Rossi sustained minor scrapes on his legs from the rescue.

“It is like glass, they said, you know, pretty sharp,” Rossi said.

Reflecting on the experience, Rossi admitted, “Yeah, you know I might still be on adrenaline.”

The Western Lakes Fire Department reported that the two fishermen were evaluated on the scene and are now recovering at home.

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