Month: October 2025

KPIX

By Amanda Hari

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — People in San Francisco’s Mission District are mourning after a neighborhood cat was killed.

KitKat was the store cat at Randa’s Market on 16th Street near Valencia, but late Monday night, the shop owner says the cat was hit by a Waymo. Now, a growing memorial occupies the space just outside the market.

“It was everybody’s cat,” said neighbor Margarita Lawa. “Everybody loved KitKat.”

So much so, most people couldn’t remember when they met him. He was a feline fixture in the community, interacting with everyone who walked into the market.

Lara described him as affectionate and social. She says once Kitkat got locked out, she spent the night with him.

“I discovered how loveable he is, he was,” said Lara, correcting herself. “So lovable.”

He was nicknamed “the Mayor of 16th Street” and had essentially become local royalty.

Lara spent Wednesday afternoon curating an altar for him, but she doesn’t take credit for it.

“This was built by the community,” Lara stated. “This was one hundred percent built by the community. I came to give it a base and fabric and some place to keep it safe. My co-worker took that picture of KitKat. Someone brought him a crown, people brought him mice, little toy mice.”

She believes the neighborhood needs this space.

“It’s closure,” Lara stated. “They’re able to come together, celebrate this being’s life and there’s closure in that.”

Flowers, candles, and cards with heartfelt messages continue to accumulate at the altar.

Owner Mike Zeidan says he couldn’t have imagined this outpouring.

“It’s really touching, and we are very thankful and appreciative of all the love and support,” Zeidan said.

Zeidan says KitKat was killed late Monday night, after being hit by a Waymo.

One neighbor recalls witnessing the aftermath.

“I got off the muni, and I walked up and saw,” the neighbor explained. “At first I thought it was a human friend, and then I recognized it was a different friend.”

But that doesn’t make the reality any less devastating.

For nearly a decade, people looked forward to visiting KitKat. He brightened their days. Now, they just have the memories, but at least Lara knows she helped to create a space where everyone can share them.

“There’s nothing like this,” Lara said. “Everybody knows there’s nothing like this. No other cat is going to be like this. It’s already a big void.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Amanda Hari

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — People in San Francisco’s Mission District are mourning after a neighborhood cat was killed.

KitKat was the store cat at Randa’s Market on 16th Street near Valencia, but late Monday night, the shop owner says the cat was hit by a Waymo. Now, a growing memorial occupies the space just outside the market.

“It was everybody’s cat,” said neighbor Margarita Lawa. “Everybody loved KitKat.”

So much so, most people couldn’t remember when they met him. He was a feline fixture in the community, interacting with everyone who walked into the market.

Lara described him as affectionate and social. She says once Kitkat got locked out, she spent the night with him.

“I discovered how loveable he is, he was,” said Lara, correcting herself. “So lovable.”

He was nicknamed “the Mayor of 16th Street” and had essentially become local royalty.

Lara spent Wednesday afternoon curating an altar for him, but she doesn’t take credit for it.

“This was built by the community,” Lara stated. “This was one hundred percent built by the community. I came to give it a base and fabric and some place to keep it safe. My co-worker took that picture of KitKat. Someone brought him a crown, people brought him mice, little toy mice.”

She believes the neighborhood needs this space.

“It’s closure,” Lara stated. “They’re able to come together, celebrate this being’s life and there’s closure in that.”

Flowers, candles, and cards with heartfelt messages continue to accumulate at the altar.

Owner Mike Zeidan says he couldn’t have imagined this outpouring.

“It’s really touching, and we are very thankful and appreciative of all the love and support,” Zeidan said.

Zeidan says KitKat was killed late Monday night, after being hit by a Waymo.

One neighbor recalls witnessing the aftermath.

“I got off the muni, and I walked up and saw,” the neighbor explained. “At first I thought it was a human friend, and then I recognized it was a different friend.”

But that doesn’t make the reality any less devastating.

For nearly a decade, people looked forward to visiting KitKat. He brightened their days. Now, they just have the memories, but at least Lara knows she helped to create a space where everyone can share them.

“There’s nothing like this,” Lara said. “Everybody knows there’s nothing like this. No other cat is going to be like this. It’s already a big void.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Tori Apodaca

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    VACAVILLE, California (KOVR) — As federal food aid stops on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown, some mothers in Vacaville are stepping up to feed families.

Leeann Rositano posted a photo of her empty fridge on the Facebook group Vaca Moms and said she was down to her last $20 of SNAP food benefits. She feared she would not be able to feed herself or her daughter, Lily.

Her neighbors showed up big and filled her shelves plus stocked her fridge with food.

“I can sleep peacefully now,” Rositano said. “I was worried. I was scared.”

Amanda Stewart saw Rositano’s post and took the food crisis into her own hands. Her inbox was quickly flooded with people needing help and wanting to help.

“Whatever I can do. If I can organize to get families to get fed, then I want to do it,” Stewart said.

Stewart’s mom, Kerry Long, is one of the sponsors who has been shopping for groceries and delivering them to families.

“We don’t want to see our community go hungry,” Long said.

Rositano admitted that at first, she felt embarrassed to post, but she wants others to know it’s ok to ask for help. She said she hopes to give back to people in her same position someday.

“I was so embarrassed, but I am owning my story now,” said Rositano. “I had to do it for my family. I didn’t want her to go hungry.”

Stewart said it really takes a village to feed a village, and she is amazed by how the community has come together. She plans to keep feeding families through the holidays and hopes they can rally enough people to donate other essential items and gifts for the children.

“The idea of kids not having food or families not having food, it breaks my heart,” Steward said.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Nick Lunemann

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    LAKEVILLE, Minnesota (WCCO) — A Lakeville family has turned their driveway into a small, free food pantry. It’s a place where anyone can stop by and grab fresh produce and staples with no questions asked.

Kate-Madonna (Hindes) Quast says what began as sharing extra garden produce has grown as the need has increased.

“We noticed there was a need as we went into fall and winter. We had never done this before,” she said. “We had cars lined up to come and get the food. It was completely full yesterday, and now it’s almost empty.”

She says the family recently partnered “with an organization, a few other families” to expand the giveaway. She added that many neighbors are struggling to bridge gaps between paychecks and benefits.

Her husband, John Quast, said the whole thing started simply.

“When we started it, it was just like, hey, we have more produce than we can use, and we wanted to share it with our neighbors,” he said. “And then times changed, and people actually really appreciated it and needed it.”

The family keeps items out that can handle the weather and accepts donations from neighbors and nearby growers. John Quast has a nickname for the setup.

“We call it garden to driveway to table,” he said.

Around the neighborhood, it’s better known as the Little Free Veggie Library.

Kate-Madonna (Hindes) Quast says the most meaningful feedback came from one late-night visitor.

“There was a woman last night who messaged, and I’m happy to share the message. It was very sweet,” she said. “She said she got to her car and she was crying because she felt that there was good in the world, and she was really struggling. That was the reason we do what we do, because we don’t know their struggle, but we can empathize with it, and John and I have both been there.”

Even with Halloween decor out front — “Beware” and “Stay Away” signs — the family says everyone is welcome.

And if kids stop by on Oct. 31? They have an answer for that, too.

“If a trick-or-treater wants a potato, a trick-or-treater can absolutely have a potato or an onion. We’re the house with the carrots,” John Quast said.

Kate-Madonna (Hindes) Quast says they gladly accept donations of food, but not cash.

If you’d like to follow the couple, just search “Little Veggie Library” on Facebook or send them an email at LittleFreeVeggieLibrary@gmail.com.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

KDKA

By John Shumway

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Last week, you probably heard the reports that the home of our Pittsburgh Steelers, Acrisure Stadium, made the list of the most haunted football stadiums.

It also left us wondering…just what ghost might be the ones doing the haunting? There was no séance involved, just a Zoom with the keeper of Pittsburgh history.

Pittsburgh is a community that is rich in history, and there’s no better source for a good history-based ghost story than the Heinz History Center’s Andy Masich, who took us back to July 1755 and Braddock’s defeat in the French and Indian War.

“It was a massacre, the British lost 500 killed on the battlefield, and many prisoners were taken back to the point,” he said.

But they weren’t taken to the point, which was then the French outpost at Fort Duquesne.

“They sent those prisoners over to a place called ‘Kill Buck Island,’ which is right about where Acrisure Stadium is today,” Masich said.

If you’ve never heard of Kill Buck Island, there’s a good reason for that: at some point, the land between the island and the North Shore was filled in.

“The prisoners from Braddock’s defeat were tortured and burned at the stake on that island; their screams could be heard echoing off of Mount Washington,” he explained.

All of that happened on the ground where the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers play football today.

“That’s possibly a reason for some unusual activity, especially at night over on the North Shore,” Masich said.

That’s not the only possible spirit connection. The other one has a football connection to the first professional football player, Pudge Heffelfinger.

“The Allegheny Athletic Association paid Pudge Heffelfinger $500, but he didn’t want to risk his amateur status, so they kept it on the down-low,” Masich explained.

Pudge was an amazing mountain of a man, a Yale graduate, and he led the Allegheny Athletic Association to undefeated seasons from 1888 to 1891.

“To this day, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has not deemed it appropriate to name Pudge Heffelfinger to the Hall of Fame,” he said. “It’s possible that Pudge could still be walking the corridors at Acrisure Stadium.”

So there you have it: tortured prisoners and Pudge Heffelfinger.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 John Shumway

Click here for updates on this story

    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Last week, you probably heard the reports that the home of our Pittsburgh Steelers, Acrisure Stadium, made the list of the most haunted football stadiums.

It also left us wondering…just what ghost might be the ones doing the haunting? There was no séance involved, just a Zoom with the keeper of Pittsburgh history.

Pittsburgh is a community that is rich in history, and there’s no better source for a good history-based ghost story than the Heinz History Center’s Andy Masich, who took us back to July 1755 and Braddock’s defeat in the French and Indian War.

“It was a massacre, the British lost 500 killed on the battlefield, and many prisoners were taken back to the point,” he said.

But they weren’t taken to the point, which was then the French outpost at Fort Duquesne.

“They sent those prisoners over to a place called ‘Kill Buck Island,’ which is right about where Acrisure Stadium is today,” Masich said.

If you’ve never heard of Kill Buck Island, there’s a good reason for that: at some point, the land between the island and the North Shore was filled in.

“The prisoners from Braddock’s defeat were tortured and burned at the stake on that island; their screams could be heard echoing off of Mount Washington,” he explained.

All of that happened on the ground where the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers play football today.

“That’s possibly a reason for some unusual activity, especially at night over on the North Shore,” Masich said.

That’s not the only possible spirit connection. The other one has a football connection to the first professional football player, Pudge Heffelfinger.

“The Allegheny Athletic Association paid Pudge Heffelfinger $500, but he didn’t want to risk his amateur status, so they kept it on the down-low,” Masich explained.

Pudge was an amazing mountain of a man, a Yale graduate, and he led the Allegheny Athletic Association to undefeated seasons from 1888 to 1891.

“To this day, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has not deemed it appropriate to name Pudge Heffelfinger to the Hall of Fame,” he said. “It’s possible that Pudge could still be walking the corridors at Acrisure Stadium.”

So there you have it: tortured prisoners and Pudge Heffelfinger.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

KYW

By Ross DiMattei

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    ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (KYW) — A police officer in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is being praised for his bravery after diving into chilly bay waters to save an injured dog earlier this month.

Officer Matt Schmidt was among those called to the scene on Oct. 15, after reports of a tan and white pit bull that appeared to have been abandoned and was walking with a limp, according to police.

When the dog evaded animal control officers by leaping into the bay, Schmidt made a split-second decision to follow it into the cold water.

“I was like, ‘OK, it’s struggling, the current’s strong, it’s getting weighted down, and it’s just going to tire out,'” Schmidt told CBS News Philadelphia. “I just felt like, clearly, a boat is not going to get here in time. So this is not a choice. I have to go if I want this dog to live.”

Body camera footage released by the department shows Schmidt shed his uniform and slip into the chilly water. Schmidt estimates he swam about 100 yards before he reached the dog. He managed to secure a bite pole around the animal’s neck before slowly guiding it back toward shore.

“Once I had him in my control, I’m just basically talking to him,” Schmidt said. “‘OK, buddy, just help me. Swim with me, not away from me. Don’t make this double hard.'”

Drone video captured the rescue from above as Schmidt and the dog made their way back to land, eventually reaching a marshy area where Schmidt pulled the animal to safety.

Animal control officers treated the dog for its limp and other minor injuries. As of last week, officials said the dog is recovering well and in good health.

Despite the widespread praise, Schmidt downplayed his heroics.

“Honestly, I was just trying to do my job,” he said. “I’m just glad I got to save the dog.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Ross DiMattei

Click here for updates on this story

    ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (KYW) — A police officer in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is being praised for his bravery after diving into chilly bay waters to save an injured dog earlier this month.

Officer Matt Schmidt was among those called to the scene on Oct. 15, after reports of a tan and white pit bull that appeared to have been abandoned and was walking with a limp, according to police.

When the dog evaded animal control officers by leaping into the bay, Schmidt made a split-second decision to follow it into the cold water.

“I was like, ‘OK, it’s struggling, the current’s strong, it’s getting weighted down, and it’s just going to tire out,'” Schmidt told CBS News Philadelphia. “I just felt like, clearly, a boat is not going to get here in time. So this is not a choice. I have to go if I want this dog to live.”

Body camera footage released by the department shows Schmidt shed his uniform and slip into the chilly water. Schmidt estimates he swam about 100 yards before he reached the dog. He managed to secure a bite pole around the animal’s neck before slowly guiding it back toward shore.

“Once I had him in my control, I’m just basically talking to him,” Schmidt said. “‘OK, buddy, just help me. Swim with me, not away from me. Don’t make this double hard.'”

Drone video captured the rescue from above as Schmidt and the dog made their way back to land, eventually reaching a marshy area where Schmidt pulled the animal to safety.

Animal control officers treated the dog for its limp and other minor injuries. As of last week, officials said the dog is recovering well and in good health.

Despite the widespread praise, Schmidt downplayed his heroics.

“Honestly, I was just trying to do my job,” he said. “I’m just glad I got to save the dog.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Adam Roberts, DMM

Click here for updates on this story

    MANSFIELD, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — A Mansfield police officer pawned two pistols he took from the police chief’s office to pay his electric bill, according to a narrative released by law enforcement.

Stephen Eric Townley, 42, of Greenwood, faces two charges of theft by receiving – firearm.

The electric company shut off the power at Townley’s house earlier this year while he was with his wife and kids, according to the document. Townley hadn’t paid the electric bill because he didn’t have enough money to do so.

Townley knew there were two guns in the police chief’s office, and no one knew who owned them. He took those two guns and a gun he owned to a pawnshop, where he got a loan for $700.

Townley said he planned to pay off the loan and return the guns as quickly as he could. When the chief discovered the guns were missing, he ran them through a law enforcement database and found where they had been pawned.

Townley was arrested on Oct. 29 and given a $2,500 bond.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.