woman says wildlife rabies vaccine pellets made her pups sick

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Lisa Crane

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    BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — Distribution dangers as efforts to prevent the spread of rabies are underway across the state. The Department of Agriculture is dropping oral rabies vaccines throughout the state for wildlife, specifically raccoons. According to the state, there are two rabies virus strains in Alabama, the raccoon variant and the bat variant. Officials said the raccoon strain can infect other animals, including your pets.

To help prevent the spread, rabies vaccine packets are being dropped from low-flying airplanes and helicopters and being distributed from vehicles throughout several Alabama counties.

Dogs sometimes have a nose for trouble. The rabies vaccine packets are designed to attract raccoons with a fish smell, but that can also be very tempting for your pet.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is distributing the bait in wooded areas. Dr. Dee Jones is the public health veterinarian for the Alabama Department of Public Health. He said, “We shouldn’t be finding any in yards. But human error sometimes, especially if we’re talking about distributing by helicopters and even airplanes even fixed wings, we can sometimes get a bait where it’s not supposed to be.”

A Moody woman said her dogs found a few dozen packets in her yard this week. One dog ate about 20 of them, and a second dog had about five. She said her pups were experiencing tremors and foaming at the mouth.

Jones said the packets are safe. He added, “They’re made with a vaccine inside, and on the packet, it will say a live rabies vaccine. It’ll say, ‘live rabies.’ Well, that’s not true. It is a killed vaccine. The rabies portion is a killed component of that vaccination.”

The owner of the dogs that ingested the vaccine took them to the veterinarian, and they are OK, but she wants to make sure other pet owners and parents understand what could be in or near their yards.

Jones said if you see one of the packets, you should try not to touch it with your bare skin. “It is a fishmeal baited attractant, so the raccoon will actually be attracted to that vaccine packet, and occasionally, that fishmeal can cause a skin reaction if someone were to touch it with their bare skin.”

Jones said they have been controlling rabies in raccoons with bait drops for almost 20 years and, so far, have not had any significant reactions reported.

If you find one in your yard, use a glove to pick it up and throw it away.

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Mother shocked by babysitter’s alleged poisoning charges

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Rachael Perry

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    OKEECHOBEE, Florida (WPBF) — Brittany Carrier, a Florida mother, is in shock after learning that her trusted babysitter, Anna Adamo, is accused of poisoning an 11-month-old boy with antifreeze earlier this year.

“She watched a lot of teachers’ kids, some law enforcement kids, and she just had a pretty good reputation for a private sitter versus taking them to a day care, so I heard nothing but good things from people that I knew,” Carrier said.

While nothing ever happened to her child, Carrier was deeply disturbed upon seeing the news this week. “At first, I was really shocked, and I was like, are you kidding me? And I just was kind of in shock, and then the more time that goes by, I’m just getting more sick to the stomach about it,” she said.

Carrier expressed her fear about the unknown, given her daughter’s long-term exposure to Adamo’s care. “It hit so close to home that my daughter was there, and for such a long time, my daughter was there. So it’s just really scary and makes you realize that we’re not always there to protect them,” she said.

In 2014, Adamo was named a suspect in a case where doctors suspected a six-month-old was poisoned, but charges were never filed.

Recently, WPBF 25 News obtained a report from the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office detailing a 2023 investigation.

It revealed that a two-month-old baby was airlifted to the hospital and tested positive for opioids after being in Adamo’s care. Detectives questioned Adamo but did not collect evidence from her home, noting it was very clean and she was cooperative.

Carrier reflected on the situation, saying, “If you had known that she was named a suspect in a similar investigation in 2014, would you have ever sent your daughter there? Oh, definitely not.”

She advised other parents to be cautious, stating, “It’s just really scary. So just to really do your background checks and research on people and who you leave your babies with.”

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38 runners competing in their 25th race of the 25th Baltimore Running Festival

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Jennifer Franciotti

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — There are more than three dozen runners who have been competing in the Baltimore Running Festival for 25 years — as long as the races have been around.

They’re part of an elite club, but they’re strangers to one another. Dan Buccino and Ray Smith are running the 5K while Urbane Maust is running the full marathon, as he has done each year.

“When it started, it was just after Sept. 11. There was a question as whether it was going to happen at all. So, I thought it was important that Baltimore have a marathon,” Buccino said. “I’ve sort of joked that I’ll do anything for a T-shirt and a medal, especially.”

Smith is proud that he has been able to keep running all these years.

“In fact, one year I had a foot issue and wound up doing the 5K on crutches,” Smith said.

“Really blessed to be able to make it through all these years, honestly, because there are so many things that can go wrong. It’s hard enough if everything goes right to just be able to get out there and keep doing it,” Maust said.

At 75 years old, Smith said he started doing the marathon as a way to stay in shape.

“And then, once I got started and had the streak going, I just wanted to stay with it,” Smith said.

The trio hopes to be able to do it again next year — and beyond.

“I plan to be back for hopefully 20 more,” Smith said.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep going,” Maust said. “It gets tougher each year, but I’m hoping to keep it going for a while.”

“I want to keep the streak going as long as I can,” Buccino said.

This year, there are 38 runners competing in their 25th Baltimore Running Festival. They’re all invited to a special VIP tent after the race, where they’ll get some pretty cool swag to celebrate their silver anniversary.

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Therapy puppy soothing first responders following traumatic summer

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Jason Rantala

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — It’s been a tough few months for Hennepin EMS in Minneapolis. Responders have seen multiple mass casualty incidents, including the deadly shooting seven weeks ago at Annunciation Catholic Church.

But now, a new four-legged member of the team is bringing comfort in the wake of tragedy.

Rigsby, a 4-month-old English Springer Spaniel, has been a valuable member of the Hennepin EMS team for two months now.

They got Rigsby through Soldier’s 6, a nonprofit that provides service and therapy dogs to military veterans, first responders and those with PTSD.

Rigby comes to work everyday with his handler, Mary Welch, who says he’s one of the most calm puppies she’s ever dealt with. He’s been a huge support for a lot of the staff, she says, and she sees it on their faces everyday.

One of Rigsby’s first weeks was during the Annunciation shooting, where his presence was crucial.

“We were able to see people who experienced one of the worst things they will probably experience in their career, and Rigsby brought a little bit of joy to their day,” said Welch, Hennepin EMS’s deputy chief of staff.

Tom Sweeny is a trainer with Soldier’s 6.

“A lot of people, they have dogs and they come home from their long day at work, they sit down on the couch, dog jumps up with them and it calms them down. It lowers the heart rate,” Sweeny said.

Soldier’s 6 gives therapy dogs to honorably discharged veterans, police officers, firefighters, paramedics, correctional officers and 911 dispatchers.

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MU Health Care to host its first drive-thru vaccination clinic of the season Saturday

KMIZ on October 18, 2025

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Patients are asked to put on a loose-fitting short-sleeved shirt and grab their insurance card before heading to MU Health Care’s drive-thru vaccine clinic at the South Providence Medical Park in Columbia on Saturday. The afternoon clinic is MU Health Care’s first drive-thru vaccination event of the season.

In 2024, Missouri faced one of the toughest cold and flu seasons to date, peaking at a little under 20,000 flu cases, the highest numbers seen in the past decade. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported 67 influenza cases in the state the week of Oct. 5, 2025, with 41 cases reported in Boone County.

Flu shots will be available for those 6 months and older Saturday. Following new CDC guidelines, COVID-19 shots will only be available for high-risk and vulnerable groups, meaning adults 65 and older or adults with a self-attested qualifying condition. Patients who claim they have a qualifying condition must sign a consent form before receiving a COVID shot.

MU Health Care Dr. Laura Morris adds that patients without qualifying conditions should still talk with their doctor or grab a doctor’s note and head to a local pharmacy to get a COVID booster

“If you’ve been vaccinated, you are very much less likely, sometimes as much as 50%, even up to 80 or 90% less likely to end up dying from the disease, or in those serious health care situations,” Morris said.

Saturday’s event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

MU Health Care is offering several Flu and COVID vaccination events in October:

Oct. 20 at the Fayette Family Medicine Clinic from 4-6 p.m.

Oct. 21 at the Keene St. Family Medicine Clinic from 5-7 p.m.

Oct. 23 at the Ashland Family Medicine Clinic from 4:30-6:45 p.m.

Oct. 25 at the South Providence Medical Park from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Oct. 25 at the Boonville Family Medicine Clinic from 9-11 a.m.

Oct. 30 at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

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Football coach delivers emotional apology after son accused of filming middle school boys undressing, officials say

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By J.D. Miles

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    CELINA, Texas (KTVT) — The town of Celina is reacting to an emotional public apology from longtime and highly decorated high school football coach Bill Elliott, whose son was arrested for allegedly recording middle school boys undressing in a locker room.

Elliott addressed a packed school board meeting Thursday night, speaking publicly for the first time since his son, Caleb Elliott, was charged with child pornography offenses. The 26-year-old was a teacher and assistant athletic coach at a Celina middle school when he allegedly recorded secret videos of male students.

“I want you to know how sorry I am, and my family is,” Elliott said, his voice breaking during the meeting. “I understand your anger. I understand your frustration. I get it — it’s horrible.”

Elliott, who leads Celina High School’s defending state champion football team, said he wants justice to be served in the criminal case and emphasized his commitment to the community.

“I want justice to be done, and justice will be done,” he said.

The coach’s heartfelt remarks resonated with many in the room, including Choc Christopher, a former Celina school board member and Elliott’s next-door neighbor.

“I’m amazed that he can do that. Most people cannot do what he did,” Christopher said. “But that’s just who he is. It was the ultimate display of courage, of his integrity. I mean, he’s devastated about what has happened.”

Christopher added, “He could have stayed at home. He could have been quiet. But that’s just not the kind of man he is.”

Despite the controversy, some residents say their support for Elliott remains unwavering. Steve Carey, a former Celina football player, said the coach still has his full backing.

“I have had three kids go through his program — two of them football players — and I am so proud that they played for him,” Carey said. “I would love for any kid that I have or grandkid to play for him again.”

From storefronts along the town square to Friday night lights, high school football is deeply woven into the fabric of Celina. That makes Elliott’s role as head coach especially significant.

“I’ve spent 33 years of my life here. My family’s poured into this place,” Elliott said. “I love our kids. I love watching our kids play.”

His speech drew applause from the crowd, and friends say they hope it goes a long way toward restoring confidence in the coach and the school community.

“It was the ultimate display of courage, of his integrity,” Christopher said. “He’s devastated about what has happened.”

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‘Life-changing:’ How a new app at BNA is helping blind, deaf people navigate the airport

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Nikki Hauser

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    NASHVILLE (WTVF) — A new tool at the Nashville International Airport (BNA) is shining a light on accessibility.

The launch of a new app called GoodMaps is providing special technology for people who have trouble seeing or hearing.

With vibrations, audio cues and large text, the app helps anyone with vision or hearing issues get around the airport easier.

“It was awesome, it was like one of the most normal things I’ve done in 3 years,” laughed Katie Smith, who went blind three years ago.

Not only was she able to find her gate, but she could do it all without an obligatory wheelchair.

“The airlines are great, they’ll offer to give you assistance, but their version of assistance, no matter what, is they want to pop you in a wheelchair and take you through security and dump you at your gate because it’s faster and easier for them. Well, my eyes stopped working, not my legs,” she explained.

“It’s very helpful and I love being able to have the same independence I did 7 years ago when I had sight as well,” added Kevin Kline, a local who worked on the GoodMaps app.

He’s also blind and communicated with BNA on this exciting project for some time now. So far, it’s had 5,000 total uses.

“You know, we’re just trying to make it to where I have the same experience as anyone else,” he said.

“To have an app that is so simple to use, that if you can vertically hold a phone, and walk or wheel, it’s life-changing. It makes you be able to do that one thing, just like anybody else,” added Katie.

In Tennessee, you can find GoodMaps at the airport and at the Tennessee State Library and Archives Building.

Kevin says the next airport to have GoodMaps will be Memphis, and there are hopes to get into even more local buildings soon.

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A doctor rocks 31 different pairs of pink shoes to honor breast cancer patients

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Stephanie Stahl, Will Kenworthy

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    ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A cancer doctor in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is marking breast cancer awareness month by wearing a different kind of pink for each of the 31 days in October, and it’s more than a fashion statement.

Advocates say the color pink is linked to breast cancer because it symbolizes femininity, care, and solidarity.

Dr. Lori Alfonse at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute has a lot of snazzy pink shoes.

“Each shoe has its own personality, its own shade, its own fabric and those are personality traits that are very similar to my patients,” Alfonse said.

In honor of her patients, the surgical oncologist is wearing a different pair of pink shoes each day for October.

“I started out getting just enough for 31, and now I’m up to well over 72 pairs of just pink shoes. So I can wear more than one in a day,” she said. “You have 71 pairs of pink shoes. I do. I have a lot of other reasonably colored shoes too.”

This shoe connoisseur says there’s a serious side to her pink passion, a message of strength and survival.

“Breast cancer is not a death sentence. It is two words that represent many different types of cancers as individual as our personalities,” she said. “We have gotten very, very good at treating breast cancer. We still have a lot of work to do. But the vast majority of our treatments are tolerable. They are successful.”

Alfonse sported a light pink boot on Friday while seeing patients, always reminding them about the importance of mammograms for early detection.

She says patients look forward to her pink shoe show; it’s a special connection she has with them.

Dr. Alfonse says pink for breast cancer has a special place in her heart; her mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother all had the disease.

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NC State Fair ride stops due to low voltage, leaving riders dangling 100 feet in the air

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Heidi Kirk

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    RALEIGH, North Carolina (WRAL) — Some fairgoers were left dangling 100 feet in the air when a ride at the North Carolina State Fair stopped due to a low-voltage issue.

The ride, which is known as The Vertigo, spins riders on swings high above the fairgrounds. Video shared with WRAL News shows the ride stopped on Thursday afternoon.

“All I could think is…’we’re going to drop,'” said Hannah Norris.

Norris said she has been coming to the fair for as long as she could remember, and the rides have always been her favorite part. After riding the Vertigo on opening day, she’s changed her tune.

“I just started praying. Me and Liam, that’s my son, we just start saying a prayer,” she continued.

North Carolina Department of Agriculture spokesperson Heather Overton said the ride stopped automatically due to a low voltage fault that triggered the safety procedure stopping the ride. It is a safety system she said that performed “exactly as intended.”

“The ride came to a controlled stop, allowing for the safe and timely manual evacuation of all patrons. At no point was anyone at risk.”

Officials said the riders were lowered to the ground within 45 minutes. The ride was reset and approved to start again immediately, Overton said.

While not at risk, Norris told WRAL News it was a scary experience and is something she’ll never forget.

A spokesperson with the company that owns the ride said anyone who was stuck, can contact them for a complimentary ride.

Inspectors with the North Carolina Department of Labor checked nearly 100 rides at the fair before it opened on Thursday.

North Carolina state law requires portable rides, like those used at the fair, to undergo inspection at each new location.

Five people were seriously injured Oct. 24, 2013, at the North Carolina State Fair, when The Vortex – a ride known for its wild twirls and flips – started moving while people were getting off and dropped some unsecured passengers 20 feet onto the ride’s metal floor.

A criminal investigation found that a safety mechanism designed to keep the ride from moving had been disabled. The ride’s operator, Timothy Dwayne Tutterrow, and owner, Joshua Macaroni, were later arrested in the case.

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Body parts found outside Brooklyn building, police say

CNN Newsource on October 18, 2025

By Alecia Reid

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — Body parts were found outside a Brooklyn building Friday.

Officials say construction workers were standing by the garbage outside a building on East 21st Street near Ditmas Avenue in Flatbush when they smelled something foul and called police.

When officers arrived, police said they found a man’s head and torso.

Police have not yet identified the victim or a suspect.

An NYPD officer was seen guarding the hallway on the sixth floor of the building as the department waits for a search warrant to enter an apartment.

Neighbors believe the victim is a man who lived on the sixth floor of the building with his partner.

“The apartment was in the short one’s name, and the tall one was always, like, violent with the short one,” neighbor Eduardo Lemus said.

Neighbors told CBS News New York they had heard the couple fighting, along with banging on the walls.

“They used to punch in my wall in the other side,” neighbor Julio Hernandez said.

“The last couple days, it was heated,” neighbor Phyllis Larrier said. “I think the other young man was not letting him in, wouldn’t let him, because he was banging on the door.”

Neighbors said they saw signs of abuse and described the victim as timid.

“He was shy. He wasn’t like this [other] one, bold and bombastic,” a neighbor named Marcia said.

According to neighbors, a few days ago, the noise from the couple’s apartment stopped and a pungent smell started brewing in the hallway.

“Last night when we came in … he was burning incense. That’s the first time I heard there was incense was burning in the hallway. That’s unusual,” Larrier said.

There are cameras throughout the building, including one on the sixth floor facing the elevator.

The violence has shaken the community.

“It’s crazy to think somebody would just, you know, do it and just leave the person right there,” Lemus said.

“Shocking. Very shocking. Because I’ve lived here since 2004, and we’ve never had an incident of this magnitude in this block,” neighbor Thomas Williams said.

Police have not released further details at this time.

The investigation is ongoing.

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