Category: CNN Regional

By Jeff Hager

Click here for updates on this story

    FALLSTON, Maryland (WMAR) — An affectionate bully breed with a gentle demeanor, workers display a dog, which remains available for adoption at the Humane Society of Harford County.

“China is eight years old and I believe she came in as a stray so we really don’t have much history on her,” said Erin Long, the marketing & development manager at the shelter. But it’s China’s long history, the dog’s age, which is working against it.

“I think the challenge with senior pets is that people see an animal, an older animal, that might start to have health problems and they may or they may not,” said Long, “but I think people—they have this misconception that they’re going to fall in love with an older or maybe middle-aged pet or an older pet and they’re not going to have it very long.” With a growing number of aging animals at the shelter, it got creative—promoting an adoption event with a theme tied to the Oscars, called the Pawscars.

“Let’s turn this into something really fun,” explained Long, “I could see putting stars on the kennel and maybe just doing something really fun.I thought about maybe rolling out a red carpet for the animals.” The promotion allows any animal six years of age and older, including cats and even guinea pigs, to be adopted at half of their normal rate.

Unlike the Oscars, which will be limited to one star-studded evening, the Pawscars will be continuing throughout the month of March. It’s a bargain for people interested in picking up a pet with a chance to measure its future in companionship rather than days, months and years.

“Dogs can live 12, 14, 15 years.Cats, same thing, so take a chance on an older pet,” said Long, “I mean they’re kind of my jam.I love an older animal, because what you see is what you get.”

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 Jack Watson

Click here for updates on this story

    JERUSALEM (WMAR) — A Maryland group which was in Israel as this weekend’s Middle East fighting started is back in the U.S., the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council told WMAR-2 News.

Howard Libit, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, said the locally-based men’s mission group was in Israel Saturday, scheduled to leave not long after, as the U.S. and Israel struck Iran and Iran retaliated.

“That was among our top concerns was, the 20 or so people we had there in Jerusalem,” Libit said.

The Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore posted a video on Friday, hours before the strikes, showing the group holding a flag displaying their Baltimore roots, and the Israeli flag.

Libit told WMAR-2 News the group had spent the last week visiting Israel, seeing the sights, and were in their hotel in Jerusalem on Shabbat when the war started, having to keep safe in the shelter in the hotel.

Libit said the group made it out safely.

“My understanding is fortunately they got out across land to Jordan, and are on a flight now that’s supposed to be landing in Chicago this afternoon. So they’re home, wonderful news,” Libit told WMAR-2 News on Monday.

While the local group appears to have found safety, the danger persists across the Middle East; a conflict many Maryland leaders are speaking out against.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore wrote: “We can stand with the Iranian people who support the cause of democracy and freedom without risking another conflict that sends another generation of American troops into combat.”

Brandon Scott, the Baltimore mayor, posted on X: “Trump is a liar and a chaos agent. He’s never been anti-war or pro-public safety. He’s choosing to cause violence in our city streets and across the globe, because he’s failing on his promises to bring down prices and invest in communities.”

When news broke that a strike had killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian Supreme Leader, Andy Harris, the state’s lone Republican Congressman, wrote on social media: “The leading sponsor of terrorism worldwide has met an appropriate fate. Let’s all hope that the people of Iran can be freed from the yoke of an oppressive theocracy.”

Libit said many in the local Jewish community see the strikes as a chance at security from the Iranian regime.

“I think what I’m hearing a lot is a resolve, and a hope, that maybe once and for all, we can get rid of this four decade plus Iranian threat,” Libit said.

“Will we seek absolute and total peace? I think that’s unlikely, but maybe this is a major step forward,” Libit concluded.

Following the weekend’s strikes, the Naval Academy has raised its security measures, suspending general public visitation and conducting 100 percent ID checks.

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 Megan Mannering

Click here for updates on this story

    LINCOLN COUNTY, Kentucky (WLEX) — More than a year after a camper fire killed a 37-year-old mother in Lincoln County, her sister says she still does not have the answers she deserves — and has taken it upon herself to find them.

Megan Milburn died in the fire in December 2024. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department said another person was inside the camper at the time but escaped. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department told LEX 18 last year that foul play was not suspected, but few updates in the case have been made public since then.

Milburn’s sister, Emma Clines, said she has spent the past year investigating the case herself, balancing grief with growing frustration.

“I pack her folder with me. I pack copies of it in case I run into someone that could help me. It is very frustrating because I’ve had to educate myself on law and things related to death investigations. I’ve had to look at pictures that I’ll never unsee,” Clines said.

Friends and family of Milburn have rallied around Clines, gathering beneath a billboard in Stanford on Monday as a visible show of support. Clines has also built a growing online following as she continues pushing for answers.

Clines said she believes investigators have not made the case a priority and suspects her sister’s struggles with addiction may have contributed to the lack of urgency.

“They have gotten a couple of things done and I’m appreciative of that. I’m very thankful for the things that they’ve done, but I do feel like it’s on the back burner. It’s not a priority whatsoever,” Clines said.

She stressed, however, that her sister’s life mattered.

“She’s a priority to me. She might not have been to them, but to her son, and to me and my dad, my grandparents. I mean she was everything to us and she’s gone,” Clines said.

Clines said she wants answers to basic questions about the investigation — including the cause of the fire, whether neighbors were interviewed, whether security video was obtained, and what investigators learned from the other person inside the camper the night Milburn died. She said those steps should have been taken immediately and thoroughly.

While Clines said she hopes authorities are right that foul play was not involved, she said she cannot be certain without more information.

“They want me to prove that the fire was not an accident, but I want them to prove that the fire was an accident,” Clines said.

Clines said she will not stop pushing for answers. Anyone with information about Milburn’s death is urged to come forward.

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 Caleb Barnes

Click here for updates on this story

    LONDON, Kentucky (WLEX) — After a video of a bullying incident at North Laurel High School surfaced late last week, community members decided to take a stand against bullying. That included a pop-up event featuring hundreds of trucks.

On Friday, Joe Burns saw a video of his foster son Nate – a 16-year-old with autism – being bullied in one of the school bathrooms.

“One individual held him as the other and struck him in the back,” he said. “That was not the first day but that was the fourth day of this abuse in the restroom.”

Through social media, that video caught the attention of many in the community.

“It blew up,” said Tanner Burns. “It went crazy, just everybody mad over it.”

“Initially my heart broke for the young man,” said London Mayor Randall Weddle, who spoke out against the bullying in the video.

“Nobody in the restroom had a voice for him,” Joe added. “Nobody spoke for him and that’s sad.”

“Watching that happen, it like kind of set a fire through me,” said Logan Johnson.

He spoke to Joe about Nate, and Johnson learned Nate loved trucks and Taco Bell. That gave him the idea to be that voice to support Nate by organizing the Trucks Against Bullying pop-up.

“We were just going to drive by and wave and hand Taco Bell gift cards out the window,” he said.

In just a matter of hours, however, the Trucks Against Bullying pop-up meet grew to around 200 trucks.

“It was like truck after truck, burnouts after burnouts,” said Johnson. “The sheriff was there. I mean, the mayor kicked it sideways leaving. It was truly an awesome event.”

“(Nate) was just, he was beside himself,” Joe shared. “They let him rev the trucks up. They rode in the police cars. It was just a day he’ll never forget.”

“It was truly just overwhelming to see just how happy he was,” said Weddle, who joined the event and met Nate. “He’s seen then he wasn’t alone, right? Hundreds of people standing around saying we love you and we support you.”

The hope is for Trucks Against Bullying to help teach a valuable lesson to stand against bullying.

“Don’t be scared to make a change,” Tanner said. “If you see something that you don’t think’s right, going against another kid, jerk out your phone, video record it. Tell somebody.”

“I only hope for it to get bigger because bullying is not cool at all,” said Johnson, who is working to set up another Trucks Against Bullying event in the future.

Laurel County Public Schools responded to the video on Monday, saying, “Laurel County Public Schools is aware of a video circulating on social media involving an incident at North Laurel High School. Administration and the Laurel County Schools Police Department began a full investigation on Friday to determine the facts. We prioritize student safety above all else and continue to follow all district policies and state laws to ensure a secure learning environment. Due to federal student privacy laws (FERPA), no further details can be shared. We ask the community to respect the privacy of the students and families involved as we work to resolve this matter.”

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 Katrina Markel

Click here for updates on this story

    ATLANTIC, Iowa (KMTV) — More than 700 sections of rivers, lakes and wetlands in Iowa are categorized as “impaired” — too polluted for recreation or drinking — according to a recent report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The state also has the second highest cancer rate in the nation, and environmental groups say the two issues are linked.

Now, concerned grandparents and local advocates are pushing state lawmakers to do something about it.

Denise O’Brien and Larry Harris helped to found Nishnabotna Water Defenders after a fertilizer spill into the East Nishnabotna River two years ago.

“We’ve been concerned about the chemicals in farming since we started farming 50 years ago,” O’Brien said.

“Everybody knows somebody that has cancer of some sort,” said Harris.

When KMTV was in Avoca last week, high school students asked Sen. Chuck Grassley about cancer rates.

“Chemicals in water, and things along that line, and a lot of it is associated with farming…” Grassley said.

Retired science teacher Brad Rasmussen and his wife Lorrie took their fears for their five grandchildren to the legislature this week.

“Harper would go, ‘Trash is yucky’ and that kind of got me thinking we need to do something because that trash ends up in the water,” Rasmussen said.

O’Brien says she does not want to blame individual farmers.

“The farmers are caught in a trap. And it’s unfortunate and it’s our agricultural policy at the national level,” she said.

The group wants lawmakers to allocate more money to install additional water monitoring sensors around the state so communities can know if the water they rely on is contaminated.

“My grandkids aren’t going to be able to survive and see what I’ve been able to enjoy for the 69 years that I’ve been alive,” Rasmussen said.

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

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 Crystal Bermudez

Click here for updates on this story

    SANTA MARIA (KSBY) — Students at Rice Elementary School in Santa Maria are discovering their cultural heritage through a new after-school Ballet Folklórico program that combines dance with cultural education.

“The memory is going to be good, because like we did a bunch of things,” said Mario Garcia, a student in the program. “Sometimes I messed up [and] they helped me.”

At Rice Elementary, that’s the kind of moment this program aims for — giving kids a low-pressure way to try something new, perform in front of others and grow from it.

“I feel nervous and I feel confident that I could do this at the same time,” said Sofia Salgado, another student participant.

The Santa Maria-Bonita School District says this new program is an after-school option for grades 1-6, designed to teach culture through dance.

“It was very fun. I really liked learning about this dance and some of the songs were kind of familiar,” said Penelope Cruz, a student in the program.

Penelope’s father, Juan Lopez, says he felt that familiarity sitting in the crowd and was proud to see his daughters connected to their heritage.

“Me being born here, my parents from Mexico, they were big with the traditions and making sure that we don’t lose sight of our roots,” Lopez said. “As our girls get older, we try to make sure that they’re still connected.”

So what makes Ballet Folklórico different from a regular dance class? Instructors say they include cultural lessons in the six-week program.

“A lot of the time we see these dances and we notice like little symbolisms in each dance but we don’t really understand the meaning behind them,” said Eddie Herrera, dance instructor.

“It’s important to connect to other people like our family members and the people that we care about through the stuff that we can bond over,” said Paola Aldama, dance instructor.

The dance instructors will next head to Adam and Arellanes elementary schools as the program continues through the spring and wraps up by the end of the school year.

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 Tara Campbell

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Hundreds gathered in San Francisco from across the Bay Area Sunday in the wake of the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.

“He has been announced killed, and it’s 80% of the way. The last 20% is the Iranian government — it is the last hill, one last punch from the people,” said San Francisco resident Kamyar Majlan.

“We support the U.S. attack on the occupying regime in Iran, and we feel that the Islamist regime is an occupying force that has occupied Iran for the past 47 years and has basically usurped the self-determination rights of the Iranian people,” said Amin Ahmadi, who made the trip up from Menlo Park.

The crowd took a moment of silence for the three U.S. service members who were announced killed in war operations Sunday, but the tone was mostly upbeat.

Hundreds of local Iranians had been gathering in front of the Ferry Building through the people’s uprising, but Sunday was a much different mood.

“You can hear the loud music. You can hear people in a celebratory mood,” said Simone Derayhe, who lives in San Francisco. “We still need to continue, but we still need to continue. This is just the first step. It’s a big step for Iranians, but it is one step toward the freedom of getting rid of the regime.”

“People have to make a decision for the future of Iran. This could be our last chance. This is time to stand up for our future,” Majlan said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Paris Flannigan

Click here for updates on this story

    ST. LANDRY PARISH (KATC) — Students at Northwest High School staged a walkout Friday afternoon, saying school administrators failed to host a formal Black History Month program.

Students told KATC they believed no effort was made to organize a program in February. Some claimed administrators were concerned about making other races uncomfortable.

“We shouldn’t have to be fighting for a Black history program, something as simple as a Black history program,” said student Holly Jordan.

Another student, Kenyen White, said the protest was organized after students realized no event had been scheduled.

“Like we don’t have a program or nothing, so we was like, we’re gonna protest, like we’re gonna walk out,” White said.

Jordan added that students felt overlooked.

“We get 28 days out the year and y’all couldn’t spare us an hour — it’s sad,” she said.

In a statement sent to staff and students, Northwest High School administration said Black History Month “was not ignored.” Administrators said students and faculty recognized the month by wearing Black History shirts and jeans, honoring the late Rev. Jesse Jackson over the school intercom, and completing classroom projects focused on Black history.

The statement also cited several faculty members being on leave as part of the reason a larger program had not yet been planned. School leaders said a “mini program” was held Friday to address concerns and that a more organized program is planned for March at students’ request.

Superintendent Milton Batiste previously said administrators are working with students to move forward.

Some students, however, said holding a program after February feels like “a slap in the face,” and several indicated they do not plan to attend.

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.