Month: November 2025

By Eric Graves

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    LAWRENCE, Kansas (KMBC) — Elsa McGrain’s parents said the world has been robbed of a caring, considerate and loving young woman.

The 20-year-old University of Kansas student was set to graduate in 2026 with the intention of going to medical school.

Now, those plans won’t happen. Elsa was hit and killed by a car Thursday night while out on a run in Lawrence.

Anna and Jordan, Elsa’s parents, are focused on her legacy of love and care for others.

“I can’t even describe how much she gave to others and didn’t worry about herself,” Anna said. “She was very giving, always looking for someone else to help.”

Elsa grew up in Omaha with her parents and three siblings. From a young age, Anna said Elsa had a grin that lit up a room.

“She was a joyful child,” Anna said. “Always happy, easygoing, the best baby and she grew up into the same good-natured young woman that was better than I ever could have been. She really was a gift from God and God was a big part of her life.”

At KU, Elsa was studying to go into medical school.

Jordan said Elsa was set to graduate early in 2026 and had plans for a gap year between undergrad and medical school.

“She was going to graduate a year early because of all the hard work she had done in high school,” Jordan said. “So she was planning mission trips, she was planning a number of things as a volunteer.”

Elsa was also very involved in her sorority on campus, Chi Omega.

“Everyone was like her sister in the sorority and I know how much they’re grieving,” Anna said. “She just was special to so many people.”

Over everything Elsa did in life was her faithfulness in God.

“She was a leader beyond her years,” Anna said. “She developed this summer youth ministry at our church that didn’t exist. She did it from scratch. She ran it. Didn’t care that she was not getting paid for it. She brought hundreds of young adults in from all over Omaha to that ministry.”

Elsa was also a member of The Story Hill Church and The Salt Company college ministry in Lawrence. Story Hill Executive Director Matthew McGill said their church is heartbroken.

“If you knew Elsa, you knew someone marked by Christlike kindness, gentleness, and a burden for the salvation of those around her,” McGill said. “She was always full of joy and cared so deeply about so many people.”

Anna and Jordan said they know Elsa is now in Heaven with God.

“She was comfortable with that,” Anna said. “She said to me a few weeks ago, ‘If I go early, you know, I’ll be with Jesus, and I’m excited, Mom.’ Which I was like, ‘Okay, don’t say that.’ You know, as a mom, but now I take blessing in that.”

Jordan and Anna said Elsa often went running near the location where she was hit. Jordan said when she went for a run she would think about her faith and pray for the people in her life.

“We have a close friend that she texted just prior to her run and asked, ‘What can I pray for you for?'” Anna said. “She would listen to her music. She would connect to God at sunset. That’s what she was doing. That’s how she lived her life for others. That was what she was doing when she died.”

Anna and Jordan said there’s no way to replace the light Elsa brought to their lives, but hearing stories of her kindness and generosity helps.

“It’s just been so inspiring for others to share their experience with her,” Jordan said. “As someone who’s kind, generous, never wanted anybody to feel omitted, wanted to include everyone in the good that the world had to offer and the good that she had to offer.”

Jordan and Anna said there is a time when they will address the suspect in the hit-and-run that killed Elsa, but right now their focus is on her legacy.

The family has created a GoFundMe from the outpouring of support and plans to use the funds to support causes and organizations close to Elsa’s heart.

“That will go absolutely directly to continuing to fund the programs and ministries that were important to her,” said Jordan.

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By Phil Reed

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    BELLA VISTA, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — KB Smith, a 100-year-old World War II veteran who lives in Bella Vista, is spending Veterans Day reflecting on his time fighting for freedom, including his experience storming the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

Smith said he enlisted shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

“People were upset about it, and patriotism was rampant,” he said.

As a senior in high school, Smith first tried to join the Navy but was told by the recruiter that he needed more potassium. “I was five foot five, and I weighed 120 pounds. He said ‘Son, you better go home and eat some bananas, and bulk up a little bit,'” Smith said.

After a couple of weeks and five pounds, Smith was ready to serve his country. He is part of the Greatest Generation, with his journey taking him to D-Day and the beaches of Normandy during World War II.

“I never once had any thought about if I was going to lose my life. My whole thing was about doing a good job with the job I was trained to do,” Smith said.

After the war, Smith and his wife moved from Nebraska to Northwest Arkansas, where he feels the warm embrace from Arkansans everywhere he goes.

“So many thank you for your services, and they come up, and they want to talk,” he said.

Smith advises the younger generation to be patient and understanding of each other.

“It just seems like people are growing apart instead of together,” he said.

Smith attributes his long and healthy life to his faith in Christ and having a good wife.

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By James Ganley

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    WAUWATOSA, Wisconsin (WISN) — Seven people were arrested overnight Tuesday after officers say they found a group inside the vacant Radisson Hotel near Mayfair Road and North Avenue.

Wauwatosa police were called to the now-closed property shortly after 12:30 a.m. Officers were seen going in and out of rooms during their search of the vacant building.

At one point, a 12 News crew on scene observed multiple individuals wearing what appeared to be Care Bear costumes being escorted out of the building in handcuffs.

According to Wauwatosa police, four adults and three children were arrested for trespassing. No additional details have been released.

The hotel permanently closed in 2024 and remains vacant.

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By Emily Sanderson

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    CINCINNATI (WLWT) — A 14-year-old will be in juvenile detention until he’s 21 after admitting to murdering his 64-year-old neighbor earlier this year in Fairfax.

The incident unfolded late Feb. 1 and into Feb. 2, when officers responded to the home on Germania Street for a report of an unresponsive woman.

Police say officers and medical personnel confirmed the woman, later identified as 64-year-old Sheila “Denise” Tenpenny, was dead.

Tenpenny’s brother found his sister dead inside her home. He called 911.

“I think my sister’s been murdered,” he said. “She’s got her head covered with a pillow, her legs exposed.”

Ten days after Tenpenny was found dead, investigators announced her 13-year-old neighbor was charged with murder.

In court Monday, the teen admitted to charges of aggravated murder, aggravated burglary and strangulation. In exchange, the serious youthful offender indictment and remaining six charges will be dismissed.

Prosecutor Linda Scott said months prior to the incident, the teen “researched how to strangle someone, how to do it, how to find a victim.”

“For months the defendant did this sort of research,” Scott said in court.

According to Scott, the teen went to the victim’s home, found her sleeping, struck her and suffocated her.

Scott said the victim fought throughout this struggle, caused injury to the teen’s face, and was even found to be holding his hair when she was discovered. The teen’s blood was also found throughout her house and his watch under her body.

Scott said after the incident, the teen “notified social media” saying “this one was a fighter.”

Investigators followed the DNA to the teen, ultimately leading to his arrest.

Agent Ward with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations also talked about the premeditation of the offense and posts to social media. Ward said the teen also searched “how to defeat police interrogation” and communicated with others during the investigation, saying things like “I think I just got caught.”

“It’s very disturbing,” Ward said. “My fear is he made mistakes, but in the future is will he learn from those mistakes.”

Ward says his team is looking into the people the teen was communicating with, including one person they believe is overseas.

Ward said in his 25 years, he’s never seen premeditation like this with someone the teen’s age.

The family of the victim read statements at the hearing, saying how much the murder impacted their lives

“She was the one I could confide in when I thought there wasn’t anyone,” a statement from one of Tenpenny’s nieces read. “Nothing will replace what was taken from us. How are we supposed to just move forward?”

“What you did was not an accident, it was deliberate and it was planned. You chose her because you thought she was alone and no one would notice or care. You were wrong. She was deeply loved,” a statement from one of Tenpenny’s nieces said. “You thought no one would grieve her, instead you shattered an entire circle of people.”

“My sister was a good woman. She never hurt anyone. She lived a quiet, peaceful life and yet her life was stolen in the most violent, senseless way possible,” Tenpenny’s sister said in court. “This was a deliberate and heartless act that took the life of someone who deserved nothing but kindness. My sister deserved to live and we deserve justice.”

As part of the plea agreement, the teen was sentenced to “juvy life” meaning he will remain in juvenile detention until he’s 21. The teen was also given a stay away order, ordering him not to contact the victim’s family in any way.

The plea agreement also means the teen can’t request early release, as it will be denied.

“I think it’s new, different and unprecedented to deal with a 13-year-old who just admitted to aggravated murder,” Public defender Travis Dunnington said in court.”I think the guiding principle is that acts, committed especially at this young age, do not have to define who you will always be,” the teen’s attorney stated in court.

While in juvenile detention, the teen was also ordered to complete his education, earning his high school diploma.

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By Matthew Dietz; Rachel Whelan

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    WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLWT) — Three people were injured and one person was arrested after a driver slammed into a Springfield Township home Monday afternoon.

It happened around 2:15 p.m. in the 8600 block of Desoto Drive.

Springfield Township police officers responded and found a Ford truck had gone through the side of the house, causing significant damage.

Three people from inside the home were injured, with a woman and her infant grandchild rushed to the hospital. Their conditions were not released by police.

Video from a nearby house shows the truck crash into the yard, just before going into the house.

Police said Shanie Henry, 33, was driving the truck and arrested shortly after the crash. Henry has been charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call the Springfield Township Police Traffic Safety Unit at 513-729-1300.

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By Travers Mackel

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    LAFOURCHE PARISH, Louisiana (WDSU) — A Lafourche middle schooler has been arrested and is facing charge after an investigation involving explicit photos of other students created by AI.

Detectives opened an investigation in conjunction with the school after male students had allegedly shared fake nude photos of a female student on a school bus and at school.

This led to an altercation on a bus involving one of the male students and one of the female students, according to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.

One of the boys is facing ten counts of unlawful dissemination of images created by AI.

Now, one state lawmaker says he’s going to take action.

Last week, Thibodaux-based attorney Matthew Ory made it clear to members of the Lafourche Parish School Board that he was upset.

“Ladies and gentlemen, what’s going on here is nothing more than disgusting.”

He represents a middle school girl from Sixth Ward Middle School who he claims was the victim of cyberbullying.

Ory claims another student, also in middle school, used artificial intelligence to superimpose his client’s head onto a naked body and then showed it to others.

“So here’s what we know, we have a kid — who undoubtedly had a picture — were taken, manipulated and manufactured and child pornography, at that school,” said Ory.

Ory said the girl reported the incident to the school immediately.

“She asked for help, she was denied, she then asked to talk to her father because she was being made fun of, she was denied,” said Ory.

Ory then said the school put the girl on a school bus with the person who made the images.

Upset, he says she hit the boy.

That led to the girl being expelled.

Ory says actions by the girl were reviewed by the Lafourche Parish District Attorney.

“They will not, they have adamantly said they will never charge that little girl with battery,” said Ory.

School system leaders did address the matter at last week’s hearing.

“There were many members of her staff who were aware of the allegations,” said Jarod Martin.

Martin is the superintendent of schools in Lafourche Parish.

“There were at least, I’m afraid to put a number to it, a half dozen students circulating these photos between themselves on the back of that bus. Unfortunately, this despicable behavior had become pervasive that day among many students, and her staff was trying to arrive at the origin, how it got to be and where it went from there,” said Martin.

The sheriff’s office confirms it is now investigating the matter, and one state lawmaker says he will also take action.

“The current law as it pertains to disseminating artificial intelligence is a misdemeanor crime, and my intention is to change that crime and make it a felony,” said State Rep. Bryan Fontenot.

Fontenot, a Republican from Thibodaux, says AI deepfakes have to be regulated.

“I’ve been in communication with her father, and my intention is to create this piece of legislation and name the legislation after the victim of this crime,” said Fontenot.

The Lafourche Parish School Board did send us this statement, which reads:

“The Lafourche Parish School Board is dedicated to a mission centered on providing a safe, healthy, and nurturing learning environment for all students, and this mission is reflected in values that prioritize the well-being and success of every child.

“Our commitment to student safety and our commitment to the consistent application of consequences are the bedrock and foundation upon which every decision is made. We understand the public’s interest in this matter; however, federal law, specifically the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), strictly prohibits us from releasing or discussing any specific student’s disciplinary records. We can assure you that all violations of our student code of conduct, including acts of violence and distribution of pornographic material, are immediately and thoroughly investigated and are met with adequate, swift and consistent consequences. This case was brought to law enforcement immediately and continues to be an ongoing investigation by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. We deeply value their commitment to aid our ability to address unwanted and criminal behavior.

“Unfortunately, in this case, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation and omissions of fact that present a one-sided story that fails to illustrate the totality and complex nature of this particular incident and the district’s response. We have never and will never steer from our mission of ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for all students.”

WDSU reached out to the Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office for a statement and received the following response:

“Louisiana law provides that juvenile proceedings are confidential. It is also our long-standing policy to protect the privacy and interests of minors involved in the justice system. For that reason, we are unable to provide information regarding whether any juvenile action has been taken in this matter.”

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By Veronica Haynes, David Bienick

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    FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will return to Foxborough on Wednesday to sign a contract to retire, again, as a Patriot.

“I am signing a one-day contract with the Patriots this week, coming up to retire as a Patriot and be a Patriot for life,” Gronkowski announced on Fox ahead of Sunday’s Patriots-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.

New England selected Gronkowski, now 36, with the 42nd overall pick in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft, and he played nine of his 11 NFL seasons with the team.

He first retired from the NFL in 2019, after winning three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots, but he returned to the sport in 2020 to reunite with quarterback Tom Brady and play for the Buccaneers. Together, they helped to win another Super Bowl for that organization.

He retired from football for a second time in 2022.

But this time around, the force behind the decision to officially retire as a Patriot is his close friend and local philanthropist Susan Hurley, who died of ovarian cancer on Nov. 1. She and Gronk teamed up on several projects, including the renovation of a Boston playground that they dedicated together in August.

During the ceremony, Hurley turned to Patriots owner Robert Kraft and said now’s the time to make this happen.

“My mom was not afraid to put up her hand and say this is something that’s got to happen. So, when she turned to (Kraft) and said, ‘I really think Rob should be retiring as a Patriot,’ it’s just something that needed to happen. And she was the one that was just going to make it so,” said Hurley’s son, Max McGillivray.

Hurley’s family will be at Gillette Stadium in her honor on Wednesday.

Since his second retirement, Gronkowski also has worked as an analyst within Fox’s NFL coverage, served as the grand marshal for the Boston Marathon and helped upgrade a weight room at a Boston school.

Overall, Gronkowski finished his career with 621 receptions for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns. He was selected to five Pro Bowls and had four first-team All-Pro selections.

Gronkowski will be eligible to be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2026 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027.

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By Beau Bowman

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    JOHNSTON, Iowa (KCCI) — A Des Moines man was arrested after driving a truck through a front window and into the dining room of Pagliai’s Pizza just before 5 p.m. Sunday night, police said.

Security camera footage shows diners eating when a truck crashes through the window into the restaurant, sending several of them flying to the other side of the room.

Travis Vander Weerdt, the owner, said he ran from the kitchen when he heard the crash.

“As soon as I heard it I took off running ran as fast as I can over to see what happened realized that yeah there’s a truck in the building checked in on a couple people, everyone was kind of assured that no one was seriously injured so I ran outside to check on the driver and yeah found him inside the building,” he said.

Johnston police said two people were hurt; one was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Officers arrested the driver, Edward Jones III, and charged him with operating while intoxicated, second offense, and failure to provide proof of financial liability.

In court documents filed Monday, investigators said Jones had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and had issues “comprehending simple instructions” from officers.

Vander Weerdt added, “Could have been a lot worse if they’re sat two inches further in one direction, I’m just thankful it’s not any worse than it was.”

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By Pepper Purpura

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A quick-thinking Amazon delivery driver is being credited with helping save a Des Moines home after spotting flames while on her route Friday morning.

Ciara Aschan was making deliveries around the 6900 block of Southwest 15th Street just before 11:30 a.m. when she noticed smoke and flames coming from the back of a neighboring house.

“I noticed the flames coming out of the top of, like, the attic area on the house,” Aschan said. “And I’m like, oh my God, I think that house is on fire.”

Aschan immediately called 911, then ran toward the home, banging on doors and shouting to alert anyone inside. She eventually found an open door and checked to see if anyone was home, but no one was inside.

Des Moines Fire Department officials said Aschan’s fast response gave crews a crucial head start that helped them limit the damage to the home’s second floor.

“It saved a lot of damage — it saved the house,” said Des Moines Fire Department’s Mike Morgan. “If somebody would have been in there, obviously, we could have saved a life.”

The homeowners later sent Aschan a message thanking her for her actions.

“You saved our house,” the message read. “The fire department said if you hadn’t, we could have lost the entire house. I can’t say thank you enough.”

Fire investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the blaze, but said it likely began near a wood-burning stove.

No injuries were reported.

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