Remains of WWII soldier from Minnesota found more than 80 years after he went missing

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By John Lauritsen

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — More than eight decades after a Minnesota soldier went missing during World War II, his remains have been found.

In May 1944, Harlan Melinsky went missing in Italy after he and his fellow soldiers came under attack from Germans.

During an interview five years ago, one of his nieces talked about the attack.

“They went out on patrol, and he was the first man out. When they all came back, he never came back,” said Mary Holm, niece.

Still, his Howard Lake, Minnesota, family never lost hope. In 2021, a farmer in Itri, Italy, found Melinsky’s dog tags on his property.

“Disbelief, I mean after all that time,” said Verla Olson, niece.

Olson said the discovery gave her family renewed optimism that her uncle’s remains would finally be recovered. She and one of her sisters even made a trip to Italy to see what they could find.

“Just seeing where that dog tag had been found was just kind of overwhelming,” said Olson.

But there were still no answers. Then, this summer, Olson got a phone call from her brother.

“The first thing he said was, ‘Are you sitting down?’ I always think there’s bad news,” said Olson.

It turned out to be good news. Thanks to help from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, her uncle’s body had been found and genetic testing confirmed his identity.

“Just that it’s positive now, it’s pretty amazing to us,” said Olson.

The next step now is to bring Melinsky home. That should happen soon, and when it does, they are hoping he’ll be buried at the family’s cemetery plot in Howard Lake.

“He has a marker there, and the marker is by his parents and then his brother, Grant,” said Olson.

When Melinsky is finally put to rest, Olson believes her family will have the closure they’ve been waiting for, for more than 80 years.

“Just hope. There’s always, always hope,” said Olson.

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.

Houston Theater Week 2026 Raises the Curtain on BOGO Deals—Use Promo Code HTW26

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

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    August 3, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Houston, get ready to trade streaming from the sofa for applause from a real audience. Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank returns August 24–30, 2026, with its crowd-pleasing Buy One, Get One Free ticket offer—and the special promotional code HTW26 is the key that opens the curtain.

Now celebrating its fifth year, Houston Theater Week has grown from a post-pandemic effort to welcome audiences back into performance venues into one of the city’s most successful cultural traditions. Since launching in 2022, the promotion has sold more than 118,000 tickets and generated nearly $5 million for local performing arts organizations. That is not merely a good run; it is a Houston-sized standing ovation for artists, musicians, dancers, actors, stagehands, designers and the nonprofit institutions that keep the Bayou City’s creative heartbeat strong.

The 2026 edition offers deals connected to nearly 400 live performances from 21 participating organizations. Houston First Corporation says the initiative is the only program of its kind in the nation to combine theater, music and dance within such an extensive lineup of BOGO offers. In practical terms, that means date night can cost less, family outings can stretch further and first-time patrons can sample something adventurous without asking their wallets to perform a tragedy.

The choices are as diverse as Houston itself. Audiences can explore classics such as Alley Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet, Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance from 4th Wall Theatre Company and The Ensemble Theatre’s A Raisin in the Sun. Music lovers can consider Houston Symphony’s Handel’s Messiah, Houston Grand Opera’s Faust, DACAMERA’s Stewart Goodyear piano program or Mozart and Haydn from Mercury Chamber Orchestra.

Dance and family audiences are also invited into the spotlight. Houston Ballet is offering Pecos Bill, Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre presents The Nutcracker, and Main Street Theater brings the beloved If You Give a Mouse a Cookie to life. Theatre Under The Stars adds Disney’s The Little Mermaid, while Performing Arts Houston highlights Harrison Guy’s Dear Prairie View—a title with special resonance for generations connected to Prairie View A&M University and Texas history.

Houston Theater Week’s growth proves that access matters. When tickets become more affordable, the arts become less like an exclusive invitation and more like a citywide conversation. A discounted seat can become a child’s first ballet, a senior couple’s long-overdue night out, a student’s introduction to Shakespeare or a family’s new holiday tradition.

It can also support nearby restaurants, parking operations, hospitality workers and downtown businesses before and after the performance. Every curtain call represents a larger creative ecosystem working behind the scenes.

Houston First President and CEO Michael Heckman described the program as a win for the public, the performing arts community and the city. Houston Theater District Board Chair Meg Booth emphasized that the heart of Theater Week is giving people an affordable opportunity to try something new. After nearly $5 million in ticket sales, the history is clear: Houstonians will show up when the arts reach out.

Tickets go on sale Monday, August 24, 2026, beginning at 12:00 a.m. The BOGO promotion continues through Sunday, August 30. Use promotional code HTW26 when purchasing eligible tickets, and carefully review each organization’s performance dates, seating levels, availability and restrictions. Offers are limited, may vary by production and generally cannot be combined with other discounts.

Explore the complete and evolving lineup through the official Houston Theater Week website. Choose your show, invite someone special and let Houston remind you why nothing—not even the best screen—can replace the electricity of live performance. photo

Special Offer Promotional Code: HTW26

A complete list of this year’s shows is available at HoustonTheaterWeek.com.

Tickets can be purchased starting August 24.

The special offer promo code for Houston Theater Week is HTW26.

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.

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Mother says she’s grateful to be alive after spider bite

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By Hannah Moore

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    WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — A Goddard mother is fighting for her life after a spider bite at Cheney Lake turned into a life-changing medical emergency.

On May 28, Britagne Miller said she and her family were at the lake enjoying a campfire when multiple spiders crawled all over her, leaving bites all over her body. After four days, Miller said a painful bruise appeared near a bite on her calf that led her to the hospital.

“This one kept swelling and swelling, and it was like, you know, a fire stir that’s metal,” Miller said. “It was like shooting down my leg into my foot, and it felt like it was being stabbed.”

Prior to the spider bite, Miller said when she was pregnant with her daughter, she was diagnosed with two blood clotting disorders. Over the years, she developed a compromised liver and allergies to food and medications. With these diagnoses, Miller said the idea of surgery was scary and was not a part of her plan.

“I’m terrified of surgery, that I’m going to go to sleep and not wake up, or that I’m going to bleed out,” Miller said. “They came at 9 o’clock in the morning, and they’re like, we need you to sign this paper. We’re going into surgery.”

During this surgery, Miller said doctors removed almost 300 milliliters of blood clots and put in a drain to heal the wound. After five days in recovery, Miller said her wound became infected with a staph and gram-negative S-type infection. Further adding, the doctors believed she was in end-stage liver failure, with only days to a month left to live.

“They couldn’t keep my levels above even critical,” Miller said. “They gave me three days up to a month to live, so that was scary. “

Miller said she only remembers glimpses while in the medical and cardio intensive care unit, after denying hospice. After weeks of recovery, on July 11, Miller said she was able to leave the hospital and enroll in at-home care, with only family on her mind.

“I was like, I give up,” Miller said. “I’m done being cut open. I’m done being poked and prodded. I’m done hurting. Then I thought about all of them.”

Miller said she beat the odds, surviving multiple surgeries and infections for a month, with a long journey ahead to qualify for a liver transplant.

“The plan is to get a liver transplant once they can get my hemoglobin levels up,” Miller said.

While in the hospital, Miller said there was no definitive way to confirm what spider bit her, but the area on her leg suggests it was a brown recluse spider. Dr. Raymond Cloyd, a horticultural entomologist at Kansas State, said there are numerous types of spiders in Kansas, but the two venomous ones are the black widow and brown recluse spider.

“The two venomous ones that we have in Kansas are the black widow spider, and the more numerous one is the brown recluse spider, which prevails throughout most of the Midwest to mid-central Kansas,” Cloyd said. “Those are the two poisonous ones we have overall in Kansas.”

Cloyd said the number one exclusion is a good way people can prevent any spiders or spiders’ prey like millipedes, centipedes, sow bugs, or crickets from entering a home by sealing cracks and crevices.

“If you have boxes that have been sitting there cold, you want to wear gloves,” Cloyd said. “Shake shoes or even wash them before you end up wearing them because those are areas where brown recluse and black widow are more likely to reside.”

Since Miller’s hospitalization, she said her husband lost his job due to his inability to work normal hours to take care of her and her children. The Miller family has started a GoFundMe for Miller’s hospital and ongoing medical expenses, home health care, and everyday necessities.

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.

Dog missing for 2 years reunited with family 5 states away

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By WDJT Staff

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    SAUKVILLE, Wis. (WDJT) — A dog missing for two years was reunited with her Pennsylvania family on Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Wisconsin Humane Society’s Ozaukee Campus.

Charlie Sue, a 6-year-old boxer, was found by a good Samaritan about a mile north of Harrington Beach on Saturday, July 25.

WHS says she was then taken to Cedar Grove Veterinary Services where Dr. Diane Dommer found a microchip, then brought to the humane society when the owner couldn’t be reached right away.

Staff eventually connected with Carry Ann of Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, whose dog had gone missing two years earlier. She and her family made a 12-hour, 600-mile drive through five states to pick up Charlie Sue, who reportedly leapt into their laps when brought out to meet them.

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.

Horse rescued, airlifted during 100-mile Tevis Cup endurance ride

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By Jeremiah Martinez

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    BUTTE COUNTY (KCRA) — A horse was rescued and airlifted after it became stranded during the Tevis Cup 100-mile endurance ride, according to officials.

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office HEART team said a horse and a rider became separate early in race. The rider was quickly found and uninjured, but the horse was nowhere to be found.

For over two hours, crews search through steep terrain while tracking the horse’s GPS beacon. The rugged landscape prevented crews from finding the horse, officials said.

As temperatures continued to rise and concerns about the horse’s hydration, a request for a helicopter was made.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said its helicopter unit responded to a request for a large animal rescue.

Within three minutes, the air crew was able to find the horse still standing. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said the horse was stranded in the Granite Chief Wilderness, which is at an elevation of 7,200 feet and is in terrain that is not accessible by foot or vehicle.

After evaluating the terrain and elevation, officials developed a plan, establishing two sites to safely rescue the horse, Nevada County officials said.

A helicopter took a UC Davis Equine medical strike team to access the horse’s condition, administer fluids, provide sedation and prepare the animal for an airlift.

The helicopter returned to take the receiving to the secondary site, where they stood ready. The animal was then secured on the harness and was safely delivered without incident.

For over two hours, crews search through steep terrain while tracking the horse’s GPS beacon. The rugged landscape prevented crews from finding the horse, officials said.

As temperatures continued to rise and concerns about the horse’s hydration, a request for a helicopter was made.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said its helicopter unit responded to a request for a large animal rescue.

Within three minutes, the air crew was able to find the horse still standing. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said the horse was stranded in the Granite Chief Wilderness, which is at an elevation of 7,200 feet and is in terrain that is not accessible by foot or vehicle.

After evaluating the terrain and elevation, officials developed a plan, establishing two sites to safely rescue the horse, Nevada County officials said.

A helicopter took a UC Davis Equine medical strike team to access the horse’s condition, administer fluids, provide sedation and prepare the animal for an airlift.

The helicopter returned to take the receiving to the secondary site, where they stood ready. The animal was then secured on the harness and was safely delivered without incident.

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.

Father and son accused of holding U.S. Forest Service workers hostage to appear in federal court

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By Jennifer Parsons

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    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) — A father and son accused of holding two U.S. Forest Service biologists hostage are expected in federal court in Sacramento on Monday.

Joseph and Phoenix Henrichsen are scheduled for a preliminary hearing.

Last week, a federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against the pair.

They are accused of kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service workers and holding them at gunpoint inside a trailer in Siskiyou County.

The workers were eventually released after being held for 15 hours.

The father and son could face life in prison if convicted.

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.

Winnebago County shifts to long-term recovery one week after tornado

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By James Ganley

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    MENASHA, Wis. (WISN) — Exactly one week after a devastating tornado tore through Winnebago County, officials are shifting their focus toward long-term recovery.

The National Weather Service rated the July 27 tornado an EF3, with estimated peak winds of 140 mph. The tornado was on the ground for more than 20 minutes and carved a roughly 12-mile path through the Appleton and Menasha areas before moving over Lake Winnebago. It damaged homes and businesses, tore roofs from buildings, toppled trees and power lines, flipped vehicles and left thousands of customers without electricity. No deaths were reported.

Beginning Monday, crews will collect damaged building materials, including bricks and siding, from affected neighborhoods. Volunteers will also go door-to-door to connect storm victims with available resources and assistance.

Beginning at 6 a.m. on Monday, the following areas will be completely closed:

Menasha: The entire area between Racine Street, Third Street/Plank Road, Konemac Street and the water.

Neenah: South Park Avenue from Yorkshire Road to Winnebago Heights.

Fox Crossing: Lakeshore Drive from Gordon Street north to the dead end.

The Wisconsin National Guard remains in Menasha to help with traffic control as cleanup work continues. A nightly curfew also remains in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the hardest-hit areas.

Officials closed a resource distribution site over the weekend, but stressed that assistance is not ending. Instead, resources are being moved to the areas where they are needed most.

Officials said the most effective way to help storm victims now is through monetary donations.

For the next two weeks, customers at Metro Market and Pick ’n Save can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar. The donations will go to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help tornado survivors.

Starting Monday, Lowe’s customers can also round up their purchases at checkout. Those donations will support disaster relief efforts by the American Red Cross and Samaritan’s Purse.

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.

Piedmont family in limbo as 8-month-old boy with rare genetic disorder awaits liver transplant

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By Tyler Tripodi

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    PIEDMONT, Okla. (KOCO) — Most 8-month-olds are learning to crawl, sit without support, and starting to battle.

But Huckson Parsons is having to fight another battle – a rare genetic disorder known as ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

“He’s a happy little fighter,” his father, Cade, said.

Huck, as his family calls him, is as happy as they come.

“He’s the happiest baby you probably would ever meet in your life,” his mother, Abby, said.

Past the happy demeanor, though, Huck is fighting a battle with OTC deficiency.

“It’s a genetic condition that is, like, it affects the urea cycle and his body’s way of moving toxic ammonia out of his body,” Abby said.

That condition means Huck and his family have spent a majority of his life in hospital rooms, doctors’ offices, and treatment centers. While doctors have worked hard to get Huck to where he is, his diagnosis will need a big operation that has left his family in a tight spot.

“It requires a liver transplant,” Abby said.

“They told us last week at the evaluation that when we get the call, we have four hours to get there,” Cade added.

The Parsons must get to Houston. And even if they do make it, it doesn’t guarantee the transplant will happen.

“They can decide that they don’t want the liver that was selected, and then we have to find a way back home,” Cade said.

If the transplant is a success, it’s a 30-day stay in Houston. With two other children 6 and younger, it won’t be easy.

“We have two other kids that would be down there with us. So, let’s try to figure out ways to make that work,” Cade said. “And my job has FMLA, but that’s unpaid. So, I don’t know how I’m going to work that out yet.”

With medications, special formulas, and a looming trip to Houston, the Parsons began fundraising and providing updates on their Facebook page where more than 100,000 people have come together to support them. They said this level of support means the world to them.

A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help.

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.

Family of Ankeny teen killed in July 4 shooting speaks publicly for first time: ‘She was innocent’

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By Pepper Purpura

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    ANKENY, Iowa (KCCI) — Nearly a month after 17-year-old Teonnie Tillman was killed in a Fourth of July shooting in West Des Moines, her family is speaking publicly for the first time.

In an exclusive interview with KCCI, Tillman’s parents, siblings and loved ones shared memories of the Ankeny teenager, described the moments leading up to the shooting and called for accountability as the criminal case moves forward.

“She wasn’t involved. She was innocent. She was a bystander in this situation,” her mother said.

According to West Des Moines police, the shooting happened after an argument outside a house party on July 4. Investigators allege 17-year-old Miles Lee fired at another teenager, Byrone Sanchez-Zermeno, but the shots struck Tillman instead. Lee has since been charged as an adult with first-degree murder. A hearing is set on Aug. 26.

Police have said Tillman was an uninvolved bystander, and investigators do not anticipate making additional arrests.

‘She was your typical teenager’ For Tillman’s family, the investigation is only one part of the story.

They described Teonnie as an outgoing teenager who loved spending time with friends, listening to music and making TikTok videos.

“She was your typical teenager. Go to school, drive around and play loud music, make TikTok videos,” her mother said.

Her younger sister, Ciahna, said the two were more than siblings.

“They were best friends,” their mother said, explaining the sisters were only about 16 months apart and often mistaken for twins.

The family said Teonnie had been planning to graduate high school early in December and was scheduled to meet with a National Guard recruiter the week after the Fourth of July. Inspired by her father and older brother’s service, she hoped to follow a similar path.

Sister witnessed the shooting Ciahna Tillman was standing just feet away when the argument erupted into gunfire.

“I watched him take his gun out first. And then everything happened after that,” she said. “I just remember running to my sister to see if she was okay, and I was screaming for people to help and call 911.”

The sisters had only been at the party for minutes and were already leaving when the confrontation unfolded, the family said.

“She was at the party for five minutes,” her mother said. “She just happened to be in between the two that were fighting … and then she gets hit.”

‘All I have is ashes’ Now, the family’s home is filled with reminders of Teonnie, framed photographs, tokens to memorialize her, and an urn holding her ashes.

Her mother said that justice is reliant on the shooter receiving a severe punishment for his actions.

“These parents get to still hug and kiss their child at the end of the day, whether he’s in juvenile detention or if he goes to prison, they still will get to hold him,” she said. “I don’t get that. We don’t get that. She is ashes. We have her in a container.”

She said grief has become something the family takes minute by minute.

“I know they say time heals everything. I just can’t imagine that to be true.”

Calling for accountability The family said they hope Teonnie’s death sparks conversations about juveniles with guns and stronger accountability.

Her mother believes penalties should be tougher for juveniles who illegally carry firearms and said parents also need to take greater responsibility.

“Start making parents responsible,” she said. “Why are your children walking around here with guns?”

Ciahna also said she is frustrated the people arguing couldn’t resolve the conflict without killing her sister.

“There are so many more ways that they could have solved their issue,” she said.

Recognizing those who tried to help The family also wanted to publicly thank three young men they say immediately began performing CPR after the shooting.

Although Teonnie’s injuries proved fatal, her family said Tyler, “KG” and Silas never stopped trying to save her before emergency crews arrived. The family did not know the boys’ last names.

“They jumped in action,” her brother, Mondrese Tillman, said. “They started performing CPR … and they should be recognized.”

Candlelight vigil planned Family and friends will gather for a candlelight vigil honoring Teonnie on Saturday.

Her family said they hope it serves as both a celebration of her life and a reminder that she was an innocent teenager whose future was cut short.

“It’s important that we remember her, that she was innocent,” her mother said. “To bring awareness to the gun violence … it’s all a celebration of her life so she’s not forgotten.”

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.

More than 100 box turtles dumped along riverbank in New Jersey

CNN Newsource on August 3, 2026

By Darla Miles

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    CRANFORD, New Jersey (WABC) — More than 100 box turtles not native to New Jersey turned up along a Cranford roadway this week. Residents scrambled to rescue them, and investigators are examining whether they were dumped as part of an illegal wildlife trade.

The unusual sight was first reported Wednesday morning near Riverside Drive and Casino Avenue, adjacent to the Rahway River. Investigators initially believed the animals might have been snapping turtles emerging after heavy rain, but residents soon realized the reptiles were box turtles.

Among those drawn to the search was 12-year-old Henning Schmidt, who spent Friday looking for turtles along the river.

“My mom told me about the turtles that got released, and I really like reptiles and amphibians and birds and whatever, so I went over here and I tried to catch one,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said he was surprised by how many turtles he found.

“I didn’t think I was actually going to find any, but then I found three. And then I was like, I got to come back here, this is good. And then I came, and I caught another one over there like an hour ago,” he said.

Resident Angela Cichoski said she first learned about the turtles through calls and messages from neighbors.

“So I get a call from one of my neighbors. I’m known as the animal rescuer in the neighborhood. That there were two random turtles in our courtyard,” Cichoski said.

A short time later, she learned the scope of the situation was much larger.

“I get a text from another neighbor saying that there’s about 50 turtles down the block, so we all go racing down, and there were literally over 100 turtles just walking into the road. So neighbors came out. Everyone’s trying to get them slowing cars down on this busy road, trying to get them back,” Cichoski said.

Cichoski said catching the animals proved challenging.

“People think turtles are slow until you’re trying to catch 100 of them from running into the road. They’re quicker than you think,” she said.

Investigators are looking into the possibility that the turtles were part of an illegal wildlife trade before being dumped in the area.

The health department is asking residents who find a box turtle to bring it to the Cranford Fire Department.

Cichoski offered similar advice.

“I would just say if you see any turtles, you know, put gloves on, put them in a box and just walk them over to the Cranford fire station between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and just wash your hands,” she 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.