Month: November 2025

By Terry Camp

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    VASSAR, Michigan (WJRT) — A Vassar High School student and a school resource officer’s encounter is stirring debate in the Tuscola County community.

The incident occurred on the morning of Sept. 16, when the student left school and was detained. The school resource officer, Patrick Hammill, has been removed from his school position but remains a Vassar police officer.

At a recent Vassar City Council meeting, many community members spoke in support of Hammill. A couple who recorded the incident on video decided to release it to show the handling of the situation.

“I was in tears, to be honest. I was disgusted by what I had seen,” Andrew Skibowski said.

He witnessed the event after hearing tires screech and seeing an officer, later identified as Hammill, detaining a person. His wife, Vincie, also witnessed the event, and their Nest camera recorded the incident.

“You can’t do this,” the student said on the video.

“Oh yes we can,” Hammill said in the recording.

The student repeatedly stated that he was not resisting and was in pain, but Hammill insisted on compliance.

“You are hurting me,” the student said.

“Stand up then,” Hammill said.

The Skibowskis later learned the detained individual was a 16-year-old Vassar student. The student reportedly left school after a teacher reprimanded him for using his cell phone.

Hammill pursued the student and detained him several blocks from the school.

“I tried to go home. All I did was leave school,” the student can be heard saying in the video.

Another Vassar police officer arrived to assist in detaining the student, who was eventually handcuffed.

“All he did was leave school,” Skibowski said.

Hammill and Vassar Police Chief Ben Guile could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Vassar Public Schools administrators also did not provide a comment, but a school board meeting was scheduled for Wednesday.

The student was on a 504 plan, which is designed for students with disabilities, and his plan may have allowed him to leave school if agitated. He has since left the district and is attending an online school.

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By Ryan Jeltema

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    FLINT, Michigan (WJRT) — Crime Stoppers is increasing the reward for informatoin leading to whoever dumped two German Shepherd puppies in Thread Lake, causing of their deaths.

Crime Stoppers received two anonymous donations that allow the organization to offer a reward of up to $3,000 for information in the case.

Good Samaritans rescued the puppies named Ringo and Star from Thread Lake along Lakewood Drive at the Flint Golf Club on Oct. 28.

Genesee County Animal Control says the dogs were locked in a cage and left in the frigid water hours before they were found.

The dogs escaped from the cage, but Ringo got stuck in mud along the water’s edge. Star broke free, chased after a pickup truck while barking and then led rescuers back to Ringo.

The Good Samaritans rescued Ringo and brought both German Shepherds to the Genesee County Animal Shelter on Pasadena Avenue. Both were emaciated and suffering from multiple injuries and illnesses.

Unfortunately, Ringo was euthanized the next day because she suffered several bone fractures.

Anyone with information about who dumped the dogs in Thread Lake should call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-422-JAIL.

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By KEZI News Staff

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    EUGENE, Oregon (KEZI) — A unique art installation in South Eugene has captured the community’s attention. A mural featuring actor Nicolas Cage now adorns the south wall of the Olympic Villa Apartments, located at East 28th Avenue and Willamette Street.

For years, residents displayed a shower curtain with Cage’s image from their balcony, offering a whimsical sight to passersby. This quirky tradition has evolved into a permanent fixture, thanks to mural artist Bayne Gardner.

“I like the idea of being surprised by a 20-foot Nick Cage on the side of the building,” Gardner said.

Gardner, who has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 30 years, shared his fond memories of the original shower curtain.

“I remember the mid to late ’90s and seeing the Nick Cage shower curtain hanging on this side of the building… and Nick Cage always put a smile on my face. So now it’s nice to put a permanent image of Nick Cage up there,” Gardner said.

The mural project began on Friday, with Gardner aiming to complete it by the end of the week. Meanwhile, multiple Nicolas Cage tapestries still hang from balconies on the east side of the building, maintaining the playful spirit of the area.

This creative endeavor continues to be a delightful surprise for the Eugene community, bringing a smile to many who pass by.

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By Lily O’Shea Becker

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    Kansas (KSHB) — William Ray Klingler, a 36-year-old man from Lawrence, was charged Wednesday in connection with the hit-and-run death of 20-year-old University of Kansas student Elsa McGrain last week.

The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office charged Klingler with felony leaving the scene of a deadly accident, circumventing an ignition interlock device, driving while suspended and no proof of motor vehicle insurance.

If convicted, the DA’s office said Klingler could be sentenced to 38-172 months in prison for the leaving the scene of a fatal accident felony charge.

“My office will hold fully accountable those who endanger their fellow citizens and make our roadways unsafe,” Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis said in a news release. “I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Elsa McGrain as they mourn her tragic and senseless loss.”

Klingler is being held on a $500,000 cash or surety bond. His first court appearance is set for Wednesday afternoon.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrested Klingler on Sunday.

Klingler has four prior driving under the influence (DUI) charges and three DUI convictions, according to the Kansas District Court portal.

McGrain was out for a run about 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, in the 1700 block of E. 1500 Road, just outside of Lawrence, when she was struck by a vehicle, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

A passerby reported finding McGrain’s body around 3:35 a.m. Friday. Once on scene, sheriff’s deputies determined McGrain had died.

Klingler pleaded guilty to three DUI charges from incidents in 2019, 2018 and 2017. All three offenses took place in Douglas County.

In 2024, Klingler was charged with a fourth DUI. Additional charges against Klingler from the alleged incident that occurred in April 2024 include possession of methamphetamine, driving a vehicle without an ignition interlock device, and transporting an open container, according to the Kansas District Court portal.

An arrest warrant was issued on Sept. 18, 2024, and Klingler posted bond on Nov. 21, 2024. A condition of Klingler’s bond is that he can not consume drugs or alcohol.

On Sept. 18, 2025, Klingler did not accept a plea deal. The next hearing is set for Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Klingler has a history of pleading guilty to multiple charges of tampering with an ignition interlock device and operating a car without a required ignition interlock device, per the Kansas District Court portal.

Ignition interlock devices are breathalyzers connected to a car’s ignition.

In October 2018, Klingler was charged with driving while his license was either canceled, suspended or revoked. He pleaded guilty in February 2019. This offense followed his DUI offense that took place in June 2018.

The 2018 DUI charge was not filed until March 2019, according to the Kansas District Court portal. Klingler pleaded guilty in September 2020.

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By Maggy Wolanske

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    DENVER (KMGH) — November not only marks Veterans Day, but also a birthday month for two Colorado heroes. Denver7 was contacted by our local viewers to help celebrate a milestone birthday for two World War II veterans, William Briglia and Howard Berger.

Briglia turned 103 years old on November 7 with family, friends, and a full celebration at Clear Creek Care Center in Westminster. Staff decorated with balloons and streamers to ensure he had a special day for all to enjoy. In high school, Briglia felt called to serve and became a Merchant Marine serving in World War II.

“It’s because I’m an American and that’s the best country in the world to live it. It’s a place of opportunity, and what I did was a fraction of what should be done,” Briglia said.

Throughout the birthday celebrations, Briglia reminded the party guests that he hopes to see them next year to ring in another trip around the sun.

This month is also meaningful to Howard Berger, who will turn 102 on November 12. He would not reveal any “secrets” as to living such a full life, but he reflected on his enlistment and his five decades of service in the U.S. Army.

“Well, I enlisted with my brother when I was 18, and he joined the Coast Guard, and I joined the Army,” said Berger. “My brother, well, when he went to the Coast Guard desk to sign in, they wouldn’t accept him because they needed parental control. So my brother and I left the armory, and I signed my father’s name. We walked right in and [they] accepted him.”

While a big birthday celebration will soon be underway, Berger shared what Veterans Day means to him.

“Well, it’s emotional because I think of the soldiers who are gone and I think of the soldiers who are here,” said Berger. “Somebody said, ‘Well, you’re a hero,’ and I said, ‘Actually, we’re all heroes.'”

Our Maggy Wolanske surprised each veteran with a Denver7 birthday card filled with heartfelt messages from our team as a way to show our appreciation for our Colorado heroes.

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By Ethan Carlson

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    DENVER (KMGH) — Patches of asphalt are being ripped up and replaced with gardens, trees and native plants in Five Points. It’s part of a new city effort to capture and clean stormwater before it reaches the South Platte River.

The Swift Implementation of Green Infrastructure program, known as SIGI, aims to quickly install dozens of small green infrastructure projects in neighborhoods that historically lacked trees and permeable landscaping. The effort is currently focused in Five Points. This year, crews began converting unused strips of pavement — including a site at 24th and Champa Streets — into planted basins that slow runoff, filter pollutants and passively water new plantings.

“These are going to be beautiful spaces in an area that’s otherwise just paved,” said Avery Ellis, owner of United Ecology — the landscape firm hired by the city to remove asphalt and install the gardens.

Ellis said contractors leave the planting areas slightly sunken, so rain and snowmelt collect and percolate into soil rather than rush into the storm sewer system. The soil and plants together trap sediment and absorb containments.

“These are going to be beautiful spaces in an area that’s otherwise just paved,” said Avery Ellis, owner of United Ecology — the landscape firm hired by the city to remove asphalt and install the gardens.

Ellis said contractors leave the planting areas slightly sunken, so rain and snowmelt collect and percolate into soil rather than rush into the storm sewer system. The soil and plants together trap sediment and absorb containments.

SIGI installations aim to catch and hold water on the surface, where vegetation and engineered soils can remove pollutants and reduce peak flows that contribute to flooding. The green approach will also provide visible neighborhood benefits like shade and trees.

DOTI identified 10 project locations across Five Points that are scheduled to be completed in 2026. Bell said that many of Denver’s hottest streets were located in Five Points, a neighborhood that had historically been passed over for infrastructure improvements and lacks urban canopy to reduce heat.

“If people who live there and businesses in the neighborhood weren’t able to plant trees and put irrigation systems in and keep them watered, no trees were able to grow,” Bell said. “Instead of having a nice, healthy landscape, you end up potentially just paving that useless spot on the street between the sidewalk and the road.”

United Ecology’s installations use native, drought- and salt-tolerant plants suited to Denver’s climate. Ellis said after an establishment period with occasional irrigation, the gardens should be self-sustaining from rain and snowmelt. The gardens include curb cuts, so street runoff enters the basins and flows through a shallow creek bed, watering the plants along the way before entering the South Platte River.

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By Tom George

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    RALEIGH, Norh Carolina (WTVD) — For Jalen Snipes, it’s the end of a journey not for the faint of heart – starting a run at the Raleigh Central Fire Station, he’s planning to run 150 miles to Charlotte in the span of just two days.

“Once it became a passion, I couldn’t put the shoes down,” he said.

He’s been training every day, running 10-12 miles at Lassiter Mill Park in Raleigh.

It’s passion born from pain. When Jalen was just 11 years old, his family’s home in Greensboro was burned down.

“The house was engulfed in flames, it was struck by lightning, two inches away from the gas line,” he said. “It was a tough thing to kind of watch the family memories torn into ashes, but at the same time but those ashes made me the man I am today.

The one memory he had was of the firefighters who ran into the flames as he escaped.

“Once they saved the house, it kind of lit a fire in me to put my feet on the pavement for them, and what’s this cause is all about,” he said

He decided to pay it forward — raising money for the North Carolina Firefighters Fund. His goal is to run more than 150 miles down backroads across North Carolina from Raleigh to Charlotte in two days.

He’s already raised more than $5,000. His company, The Coley Group, matched it for $10,000 raised and counting.

His proud uncle, Kenneth Nixon Sr., a veteran and now fire captain in Raeford, said he never realized how much firefighters meant to Snipes after what happened to him as a child.

“When he told me that, I was honored he’s going after something that I’m a part of,” Nixon said.

His proud uncle, Kenneth Nixon Sr., a veteran and now fire captain in Raeford, said he never realized how much firefighters meant to Snipes after what happened to him as a child.

“When he told me that, I was honored he’s going after something that I’m a part of,” Nixon said.

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By WTVD Staff

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    CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (WTVD) — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will not raise in-state tuition.

At its meeting on Wednesday, the UNC Board of Trustees voted against a proposal for a 3% tuition raise for in-state undergraduate students.

The last time the university raised in-state tuition was in 2017.

Ultimately, the board decided to defer the final vote to Thursday. They are requesting the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations to come back with a proposal that would keep the resident undergraduate tuition flat, increase non-resident undergraduate tuition by 10%, and increase graduate non-resident tuition.

The proposed increase for out-of-state students would amount to adding $4,320. This would bring total tuition to $49,601 per year.

North Carolina State University’s Board of Trustees will also meet Thursday and Friday to consider a 3% tuition increase that would apply to all students.

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