New bill aims to stop Florida DMV from selling drivers’ personal information

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By Blaine Montgomery

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    LEE COUNTY, Florida (WBBH) — Whether you’re visiting the DMV for a new driver’s license or registration tag, you have to provide personal identifying information.

But many Floridians say they didn’t realize that same information can be sold by the DMV.

Lawmakers say the information collected by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is being sold to and shared with third-party data brokers, marketing firms, and private foreign-owned companies. Baltimore says she’s already seeing the effects. “I’m receiving mail for things I’ve never shopped at, stores I’ve never stepped foot in in my 30 years of living,” she said.

In a post on X, Florida House Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman said the state has made more than $260 million selling names, addresses, birthdates, and even license numbers from 2021 to 2023.

Representative Gossett-Seidman filed House Bill 357 last week, also known as the Driver Privacy Act, which would ban the DMV from sharing or selling personal information.

On its website, the DMV states that under Florida law, motor vehicle, driver license, and vehicular crash record information are considered public information. It also says the Driver Privacy Protection Act helps limit who can access personal details.

If the bill is ultimately signed into law, it will take effect in July of 2026.

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‘It changed me’: Inmates help train puppies to help veterans with PTSD, other disabilities

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By Tommie Clark

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    HAGERSTOWN, Maryland (WBAL) — Several Maryland puppies are preparing for service, destined for veterans living with PTSD and other disabilities.

The puppies are training at an unlikely location, though: the Maryland Correctional Institution — Hagerstown.

“What I didn’t know is the impact it would have on me,” said Barry Roberts, an incarcerated handler.

Inside MCI-H, Roberts spends 24 hours per day with is dog, Big Mike. The Labrador is one of America’s VetDogs in training.

“These dogs are changing lives every day for these veterans,” said Mark Clavenger, a correctional officer and veteran leading the effort.

Clavenger helps inmates raise and train the animals, from just 12 weeks old until they’re ready for their mission — assisting veterans and first responders with disabilities.

Jeffrey Miller, a handler, is also a U.S. Army veteran.

“When I first got out of the service, if I had a dog like this, I probably wouldn’t be here right now,” Miller said.

MCI-H is one of five Maryland correctional facilities participating in the program. In a little more than a decade, more than 100 veterans have received service dogs.

“It motivates me more to know I want to succeed when it’s time to train,” said Tavon Bradley, an MCI-H handler.

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services said those involved show lower rates of reoffending, in part contributing to the state’s first-year recidivism rate dropping to a record low.

“It taught me something I didn’t even know I didn’t have. I didn’t have work ethic. I didn’t have much consistency or responsibility in life,” Roberts said.

Marvin Reyes has been behind bars since he was 16 years old.

“It changed me. It gave me a sense of purpose, and it also humanized me,” Reyes said.

Handlers said they’re helping veterans get their lives back while finding themselves in return.

“You can honestly say, ‘I did that,'” Roberts said. “There’s no better feeling in the world than accomplishing something that you worked hard at. Seeing it through. That’s what it did for me.”

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Police tase dog, owner disputes aggressive behavior

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By Michael Fuller

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    LANCASTER, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — A Lancaster dog owner is disputing police claims that her dog was aggressive after officers tased the animal, citing video evidence that she says shows a different story.

“I don’t think any dog should be treated like this, not by a human being and especially not by a police officer,” said Mili Pagan, the dog’s owner.

The past several days have been an emotional roller coaster for Pagan and her family. “I know that my daughter-in-law was crying. The kids were, I guess, going crazy,” she said.

After her dog, Max, was found and apprehended by police last week, Pagan recounted that she and her son were at their auto shop when a friend offered to watch the dog.

However, they soon realized something was wrong.

“My son finishes with the car, realizes the guy’s not there, the dog’s not there, the leash is not there,” Pagan said. “He goes out the back of the garage looking for the dog, and he sees a bunch of police officers, and he hears sirens. So, he starts to walk, and he sees the dog in a cage.”

The Lancaster City Police Bureau said they were called to the 400 block of Beaver Street for reports of a roaming dog.

Officers stated that one resident reported being chased, while two others claimed they were bitten.

Police said they used non-lethal force on the animal, which they communicated to Pagan’s family.

“That the dog tried to attack them. And so that they had to tase him and that that’s why the dog was in a cage,” Pagan said.

The next day, Pagan obtained video footage of the incident, which she claims shows a different perspective.

“You see the police officer taunting the dog, calling the dog, hissing at the dog, and then saying, let’s take him. And they tased him and continue to tasered. And then I guess that’s when they put him in the cage,” she said.

Pagan described the aftermath, saying, “The dog is bright in the back. He had a couple of those taser things inside his bone. And, you know, he peed and blood and everything was all over the case. Everything. That’s not right.”

Lancaster City police have been contacted for clarification on their protocol for capturing animals.

They stated that it is handled on a case-by-case basis and that the incident is still under investigation. Further information is being sought.

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Resident, 60 snakes die in morning house fire

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By David Bienick, John Atwater

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    METHUEN, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A man and more than 60 pet snakes died early Tuesday in a two-alarm house fire in Methuen, Massachusetts, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Slattery.

The victim was identified by his wife as 40-year-old Andrew Carlson.

Firefighters responded at 2:20 a.m. to the home at 38 Atkinson St. Crews were met with heavy smoke and flames coming from the single-family home.

“Two of the three other people who lived there also stated there was somebody inside. We tried to get there, to the front door, around to the back, the side of the building, but we were unable to gain entry,” Slattery said.

They immediately attempted to make entry but encountered heavy fire and were blocked by heavy clutter, officials said. They moved to defensive operations to protect nearby homes.

Firefighters battled the blaze for more than four hours. Three occupants were able to escape, but Carlson was found dead in the home.

“He was ultimately found downstairs, in the basement,” Slattery said.

“He always cared more about other people’s well-being,” Carlson’s wife, Idalia Nelson, said. “He was incredibly generous with his intellect and his heart.”

Nelson and her two adult children made it out of the home, but Carlson could not be saved.

Slattery said the residents had a collection of at least 60 pythons and boa constrictors. Most of them were kept downstairs in cages.

“Unfortunately, they all passed. There was none, none found alive,” he said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Sink or swim: high school physics class racing in cardboard boats to test their knowledge

KRDO on November 12, 2025

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A physics teacher at Monument Academy High School (East Campus) is altering her curriculum this year to include a lesson plan that’s a little more “all hands on deck.”

Esme Wilhelm designed the competition for her students. She tasked teams of two and three to design a cardboard boat strong enough to carry their team members across a lap pool using the physics concepts of buoyancy, displacement and center of mass.

“Being able to see my students light up every day in this class, having their ideas and creativity, and that engineering comes into practice, is just what gives me pure joy,” Wilhelm said.

It’s the first time Esme has hosted this competition for her students. She said they have taken to it with a passion.

“I trust it. We did a lot of math about figuring out what the density and the displacement and everything was, so I’ve got confidence,” student Nalani Allen said about her group’s boat.

The race is at 1:30 p.m. in the Monument YMCA lap pool. The goal is to be the first to paddle across the length of the lap pool, but there is a Titanic award for the group that sinks the most dramatically.

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‘How many eggs chickens can lay’: Man fires shots after pub argument over chickens

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By Angela Rozier

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    PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (WPBF) — A heated conversation about chickens reportedly led a Port St. Lucie man to fire a handgun at several patrons outside Harper’s Pub around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Master Sergeant Dominick Mesiti and Public Information officer said the suspect, 44-year-old Peter Riera, fired shots at three people whom he claimed were trying to con him.

Body camera footage shows Riera being taken into custody by Port St. Lucie police.

He is accused of firing four rounds from a .45-caliber Glock at three individuals after an argument outside the closed pub. Police stated that once outside, the conversation continued, and Riera became paranoid, believing the victims were out to get him.

“The shooter evidently raises chickens, and the conversation was about how many eggs chickens can lay. The conversation got heated for whatever reason,” Mesiti said.

He said Riera then armed himself with a handgun and started firing.

“One victim ran out into the roadway trying to get away from the shooter. The other two victims hid. We had several phone calls; the shooter himself called 911,” Mesiti said.

Officers gathered evidence later that morning. Police noted that the victims knew each other and had just met the suspect that night.

All had been drinking, and none were hit. During the investigation, one of the victims was arrested for resisting an officer with violence, and another was arrested for resisting an officer without violence.

“Arming yourself with a handgun when you’re under the influence is not a good idea. There’s never going to be a good outcome with that,” Mesiti said.

Riera faces multiple charges and is being held without bond.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or may have video of the incident is urged to call Detective Samantha DiPierro at (772) 871-5001 or Treasure Coast Crimestoppers at (800) 273-8477.

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‘I could be dead’: Woman held hostage by suspect in double homicide

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By Rachael Perry

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    PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (WPBF) — A 77-year-old woman says she is the luckiest person in the world after surviving being held hostage by a man accused of murdering two of their neighbors.

The Port St. Lucie Police Department responded to the Tropical East community of Port St. Lucie for reports of a shooting. According to the PSLPD, a neighborhood dispute resulted in three deaths after 62-year-old Paul Maraio shot two of his neighbors before turning the gun on himself.

Before shooting himself, officials said Maraio barricaded himself inside a home where he held a woman hostage. WPBF 25 News spoke with the woman, Suzanne Rothermel, who lives across the street from the suspect.

Rothermel said she was on the phone when Maraio came running into her house.

“When he ran in here, and I thought that was strange because he’s not allowed to come into my house, so I thought something bad had happened. He said, ‘Quick, close the door, the garage door.’ I thought something bad had happened outside,” Rothermel said.

She said Maraio then told her he had shot two of their neighbors.

“I just didn’t know what to think. I thought maybe an accident somewhere, but I never guessed it was him shooting somebody until he told me that he shot them, and then he put the two little guns on my kitchen counter,” she said.

Rothermel was terrified she’d be next, so she followed his demands. She said Maraio took her phone from her and demanded she sit down.

“At first, I was scared. But then, after a while, I just, I don’t know, I just, I wasn’t afraid anymore. I just figured, if he’s going to kill me, what can I do? I can’t run out, because he’ll shoot me anyway,” she said.

She said she knew the victims well and was aware of the issues happening between them and Maraio.

As for why he allegedly shot them on Monday, Rothermel said Maraio told her he had just been evicted.

“We never knew when he was going to snap, so we always said someday he’s going to blow, but we never thought it would be this bad,” Rothermel said.

Rothermel said it felt like he’d be holding her hostage for three hours, and she began losing hope. However, Maraio finally decided to let her go.

“Finally, he said, ‘Okay, we’re going to go out the back patio and you’re going to go first and then I’ll follow.’ I didn’t think at the time that he was behind me; he could have shot me then, but I just wanted to get out. So Penny and I got out the door, and he said to them, ‘Don’t shoot her, she’s coming out.’ So I got out, and they quickly grabbed me; I almost fell. They pulled me back, and he wasn’t behind me,” she said.

Officials got Rothermel and her dog, Penny, to safety while they continued working to get Maraio to surrender.

However, according to the PSLPD, Maraio turned the gun on himself. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Rothermel went back to her home on Tuesday to get some of her belongings and walked in to find blood on the ground, a bullet hole in her living room chair, and food from her refrigerator left on the counter.

The front of her home was also severely damaged from investigators attempting to make contact with Maraio.

Despite the mess, she said she feels like the luckiest person in the world.

“I’m the luckiest person in the world right now because I could be dead. I could be dead. He could have just turned on me in a second,” she said.

With Penny by her side, Rothermel said she’ll eventually return home.

“This is my home. All my friends are here and I can’t let him win,” she said.

Rothermel said she’s still struggling to process that her two neighbors were killed and said they were always kind and would often look out for her.

“Oh, my God, they didn’t deserve any of this. I still can’t believe that they’re not here,” she added.

The PSLPD has not released the names of the two people killed.

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Repaving on two of worst streets in Security-Widefield finished; mixed feelings from neighbors

KRDO on November 12, 2025

Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Some neighbors in part of Security-Widefield have finally gotten the street repaving they hoped to receive last year.

While several residents wish that the quality of the paving job had been better, they’re generally pleased that the work is over.

“Taking too long, kinda does make sense,” said Chloe Cosgrove. “It was a little frustrating when I was trying to go this way, and there’s just a big mess. And I know the weather has been part of that. But then again, it is nice to have new roads.”

Eric Hooper echoed the sentiment.

“I think they did a wonderful job,” he said. “(Took) a little longer than what I’d want. It’s definitely needed. I just wish that instead of putting a patch on like they did here at my house, they would have done it all the correct way the first time.”

Crews spent the summer and early fall doing concrete work on Bison and Chimayo drives — installing new sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and even some new driveway entrances — to prepare for repaving.

Some of that work was delayed because of rain in late spring and early summer, but dry fall weather has since allowed crews to catch up and pave farther into the season than they normally do.

In fact, crews finished the last block of paving on Tuesday and began moving equipment out early Wednesday morning.

Last summer, KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior reported on the streets surrounding Bison and Chimayo getting a slurry seal resurfacing treatment; it covers the existing pavement without milling of old pavement, as a temporary treatment before asphalt repaving.

Several neighbors contacted The Road Warrior, asking why those streets were resurfaced when they appeared to be in good condition, while Bison and Chimayo were not.

We’ve since learned that paving crews often prioritize resurfacing streets that are in less-than-poor condition because they’ll last longer, while streets like Bison and Chimayo require a complete repaving that requires more time and money.

Budget constraints often limit how much paving can be done in certain areas.

Meanwhile, neighbors along other streets in Security-Widefield eagerly await their turn for resurfacing or repaving.

Hooper understands how they feel.

“The temporary paving (crews) did was the first in the 18 years I’ve lived here,” he said.

Hooper lives where Chimayo becomes Frontier Drive, and he said that the area received a temporary resurfacing last year and is already cracking, but should get a full repaving next year.

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Taylor Swift sparks sales surge for Utah jewelry brand

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By Shelby Lofton, KSL TV and Eric Cabrera, KSL NewsRadio

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    PARK CITY, Utah (KSL, KSL TV) — A Park City jewelry company is seeing a surge in business after pop superstar Taylor Swift was photographed wearing one of its pieces.

Jaclyn and Kevin Elbaum, owners of Audry Rose Jewelry, said orders have skyrocketed and website traffic is up 800% since Swift was spotted in New York wearing their lock necklace paired with a diamond trail lariat.

“I don’t know if she realizes what impact she makes to these small businesses that she blows up,” said Audry Rose Jewelry co-owner Jaclyn Elbaum.

She and her husband launched Audry Rose Jewelry 10 years ago while raising their family in Park City.

“We find it’s great in terms of talent, in terms of just finding like good high-value, high-moral people. So we’ve been so pleased here. And even the modeling community, you become friends with everybody. It’s a lot tighter knit, a lot more of almost a small town feel or everybody’s rooting for you,” Kevin Elbaum said.

Jaclyn said she learned about the celebrity endorsement Thursday night when a friend sent her a photo of Swift.

“I zoomed in and noticed she was wearing our necklace,” Jaclyn said. “We had no idea she ordered it.”

The Elbaums said the purchase was made in August, and Swift received the package just hours before she wore the jewelry publicly.

The couple said this piece in particular has a lot of sentimental value.

“The one she got specifically with the diamond trail lariat I had designed for my mom’s 70th birthday,” Jaclyn said.

She said the necklace’s chain was inspired by an antique watch chain.

“This chain in particular is handmade and is named after our daughter, Sloan,” Kevin said.

“With gold prices soaring this year, it’s been a rough year,” Jaclyn said. “This moment felt so gratifying. We really needed it.”

The Audry Rose team sent Swift a thank-you note, hoping to hear back from the singer someday.

“I think this is something that she does intentionally, that she really wants to support and promote,” Kevin said. “Even the fact they paid full price when clearly they could have reached out, not only got it for free, but we would have paid them to take it.”

The Elbaums said they’re trying to open a brick-and-mortar store somewhere in Utah. Their goal is to be located on Park City’s Main Street.

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Library trades food for fines to help with food insecurity

CNN Newsource on November 12, 2025

By Mike Mohundro

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    CARTERVILLE, Illinois (WSIL) — The Anne West Lindsey District Library is taking a unique approach to address food insecurity in the region.

The library is hosting a “Food for Fines” fundraiser throughout November, encouraging donations of nonperishable food items. For each donated item, patrons can have $1 worth of library fines waived, with a maximum reduction of $15.

Library officials aim to inspire community involvement through this initiative.

“This is the time of year when the community needs to come together and support people who maybe don’t have that support on their own,” said Adult Services Librarian Mike Terrana.

All collected items will be donated to the Crainville and Cambria pantries.

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