Community Corner

A Tragedy 'No Family Should Endure' Finds Closure + Feline COVID

Here's your 5-minute read to start the day: Connecticut aims to keep weed from kids; Giannis visits Chick-Fil-A; Great Dane joins police.

The Roswell Police Department has made an arrest in the 1988 murder of 8-year-old Joshua Harmon. (Roswell Police Department)

ACROSS AMERICA — More than 30 years ago, 8-year-old Joshua Harmon never returned home for dinner. After a 48-hour search for the Georgia boy, his body was found in a wooded area near the Roswell apartment where he lived.

Over the years, Joshua’s case went cold. But this week, the Roswell Police Department made an arrest in connection with the young boy’s death.

The suspect, James Michael Coates, 56, of Woodstock, was identified after Joshua’s body was exhumed and more DNA testing was completed. Coates is now facing a litany of charges, inclyding murder, aggravated sodomy and aggravated child molestation.

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"This was a tragedy that no family should endure," Roswell Police Chief James Conroy said in a news release. "The death of Josh and the fact that his killer remained free for such a long time is unimaginable. I hope this arrest brings the Harmon family a sense of closure.” Read the full story on Roswell Patch

Snow Leopard Catches COVID-19

On Thursday, wildlife care specialists at the San Diego Zoo discovered a white snow leopard there had contracted the coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19. The male leopard, who had a cough and nasal discharge, isn’t the first animal at the zoo to catch the coronavirus. In January, the gorilla troop at the zoo’s Safari Park contracted coronavirus from an asymptomatic wildlife care specialist. The troop has fully recovered. Read the full story on San Diego Patch

Find out what's happening in Across Americafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Tonka, a three-year-old black Great Dane, is the Cedar Park Police Department's newest volunteers who helps victims. (Cedar Park Police)

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Great Dane Joins Force: Cedar Park Police Department in Texas is bringing in a new four-legged volunteer to help work with its victim services division, via Cedar Park Patch

Keeping Weed Out Of Reach: Connecticut is tackling a recent uptick in the accidental consumption of marijuana products by children through a 65-second PSA, via Bethel Patch

Speaking Of Weed: If you live in New York City and you’ve received your COVID-19 vaccine, free joints will be given out at Prospect Park on Sunday, via Park Slope Patch

Giannis Visits Chick-Fil-A: Milwaukee Bucks star player Giannis Antetokounmpo celebrated his victory Wednesday morning with 50 chicken nuggets from the Chick-fil-A drive-thru, via Brookfield Patch

Making A Statement: When jewelry designers with Jason of Beverly Hills set out to create the Super Bowl LV championship rings for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, modesty wasn't a priority, via Tampa Patch

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