Month: November 2025

By Alexandra Simon, Dan Snyder

Click here for updates on this story

    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Inside a West Philadelphia hair salon Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a law solidifying protections against hair discrimination in the state.

The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” prohibits discrimination based on a person’s hairstyle, type or texture. Pennsylvania is the 28th state to pass a version of the CROWN Act.

Shapiro signed the legislation at the Island Design Natural Hair Studio, which specializes in creating and caring for natural hairstyles.

“This is a place where the community gets nurtured, and folks get to walk in and walk out looking and feeling their absolute best,” Shapiro said. “I think that’s noble work.”

“Wearing our crown is very important to me,” said Lorraine Ruley, who has owned Island Design Natural Hair Studio for 24 years.

Ruley has had lots of clients come to her salon to have their braids taken out or locs cut because their hairstyles were considered “unprofessional.”

House Speaker Joanna McClinton, who worked on the CROWN Act legislation for six years, said she changed her hair while in law school over the same concerns. U.S. Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, a West Philadelphia native who now represents parts of Pittsburgh, was the lead sponsor on the bill and said the fight will help improve lives across Pennsylvania.

“Hair discrimination has taken confidence from our children, but that ends today,” Mayes said. “Hair discrimination has taken dignity from workers, but that ends today. It has taken access to economic opportunities, hopes and dreams, but that begins to end today.”

According to the governor, in 2022 more than 900 complaints of racial discrimination based on hair were made to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

The bill passed in the state Senate on Nov. 19 by a vote of 44-3, eight months after receiving the bill from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

At the federal level, the CROWN Act was first introduced in the House of Representatives in 2021 and passed in the chamber in 2023.

Last year, the CROWN Act was reintroduced in both the House and Senate, but has not yet been passed in Congress.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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 Alexandra Simon, Dan Snyder

Click here for updates on this story

    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Inside a West Philadelphia hair salon Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a law solidifying protections against hair discrimination in the state.

The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” prohibits discrimination based on a person’s hairstyle, type or texture. Pennsylvania is the 28th state to pass a version of the CROWN Act.

Shapiro signed the legislation at the Island Design Natural Hair Studio, which specializes in creating and caring for natural hairstyles.

“This is a place where the community gets nurtured, and folks get to walk in and walk out looking and feeling their absolute best,” Shapiro said. “I think that’s noble work.”

“Wearing our crown is very important to me,” said Lorraine Ruley, who has owned Island Design Natural Hair Studio for 24 years.

Ruley has had lots of clients come to her salon to have their braids taken out or locs cut because their hairstyles were considered “unprofessional.”

House Speaker Joanna McClinton, who worked on the CROWN Act legislation for six years, said she changed her hair while in law school over the same concerns. U.S. Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, a West Philadelphia native who now represents parts of Pittsburgh, was the lead sponsor on the bill and said the fight will help improve lives across Pennsylvania.

“Hair discrimination has taken confidence from our children, but that ends today,” Mayes said. “Hair discrimination has taken dignity from workers, but that ends today. It has taken access to economic opportunities, hopes and dreams, but that begins to end today.”

According to the governor, in 2022 more than 900 complaints of racial discrimination based on hair were made to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

The bill passed in the state Senate on Nov. 19 by a vote of 44-3, eight months after receiving the bill from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

At the federal level, the CROWN Act was first introduced in the House of Representatives in 2021 and passed in the chamber in 2023.

Last year, the CROWN Act was reintroduced in both the House and Senate, but has not yet been passed in Congress.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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 Michelle Bandur

Click here for updates on this story

    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Registration for Sacramento’s Run to Feed the Hungry has reached a record-breaking number of nearly 31,800 participants as of Monday afternoon, marking a significant milestone for the event that has been a tradition since 1994 and serves as a major fundraiser for the Sacramento Food Bank.

For one Orangevale family, the event is about preserving family traditions, even after losing dear family members.

Lianne Vicchio and her mother, Susan Vicchio, have been participating in the Thanksgiving run since 1998, a tradition started by Lianne’s father and Susan’s husband, Bert.

“Growing up, it was like, my dad’s out in the driveway, honking the horn, waking us up,” Lianne Vicchio said.

Susan Vicchio reflected on the longevity of their participation.

“This would be year 27,” she said. “I don’t know where the time went exactly.”

The Vicchios, along with their daughters, ages 8 and 9 at the time in 1998, began their Thanksgiving mornings with neighbors, friends, and cousins, making the run a non-negotiable part of their holiday.

“No matter who was in town, there was no option. We all did Run to Feed the Hungry,” Susan Vicchio said.

Year 20 was particularly challenging for the family, as they lost their leader, Bert Vicchio, to blood cancer in December 2018.

“We’ve lost him. And this is an important tradition for me to carry on, differently,” said Susan Vicchio. “But to continue to express gratitude now in different ways with different people.”

The family faced further loss when Susan Vicchio’s older daughter, Haley, died in a car accident. Despite these hardships, Susan emphasized the importance of maintaining family traditions during the holidays.

“As difficult as it is, maintaining some of the family traditions that you had is a really important way to hold it together during the holidays, which can be the most challenging time of the year,” she said.

Lianne Vicchio holds on to her father and sister’s memories.

“They’re my strength, so I get joy from that,” she said. “I’m carrying their legacy. I’m living their life that maybe they could have.”

Registration for the Run to Feed the Hungry is still open, and participants can even sign up on site on Thanksgiving morning.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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 Jacquelyn Quinones

Click here for updates on this story

    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KSBW) — The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office says the man swept off the rocks into the ocean at Soberanes Point was a Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center student.

The man was identified as Amanpreet Thind, a 35-year-old U.S. Army specialist and student at the Defense Language Institute, as the man swept away by waves at Soberanes Point on Saturday.

Col. Christy L. Whitfield, Commandant at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, stated, “The missing person from Saturday’s incident at Garrapata State Park is Spc. Amanpreet Thind, a U.S. Army Soldier and student at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. As search and recovery operations continue, we hold out hope that Spc. Thind will be found. We offer our deepest condolences to the Thind family during this difficult time. We are providing those impacted with every resource and support service available and extend our heartfelt gratitude to local, state, and national first responders working tirelessly to locate Spc. Thind.”

Thind, from New Jersey, was one of three people caught by the waves, but he never made it out of the water, while the two women accompanying him did.

Andy Rosas, spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, stated, “In this particular case, there are established protocols both by the U.S. military services as well as the Monterey County Sheriff’s office to ensure that family members are notified about the current situation regarding their loved ones prior to making any public statements.”

Search efforts resumed on Tuesday morning, involving multiple agencies.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s dive team reported that ocean conditions remain unsafe for entry into the water at this time.

“The dive team indicates that it’s still unsafe for them to make entry into water; however, they’ve looked ahead, and there appears to be an opportunity to begin underwater dive searches tomorrow,” Rosas said.

Rosas said Thind is of Indian descent and was wearing a white turban, black shorts, a black shirt, and a black vest.

At around 4:24 p.m. Saturday, a Coast Guard helicopter spotted what appeared to be a body in the ocean but, due to high surf, lost visual. Because of this and other factors, the response has shifted to a search-and-recovery mission.

A beach hazards warning was in effect Monday, with conditions expected to improve Tuesday.

Coast Guard officials have warned that sneaker waves are very dangerous.

“Sneaker waves are unpredictable waves that are higher in height than other waves, move up the shoreline just not in the beach, but also along rock,” Leo Zapawa, Chief Warrant Officer with the U.S. Coast Guard, said.

Tourists visiting the area expressed alarm upon hearing about the recovery efforts.

One visitor said, “It’s all open ocean, so it’s because of the wind that you can lose balance and go in, and anything can happen.” Another added, “Everyone should definitely be more cautious.”

A resident commented on the situation, saying, “That’s really tragic, there’s a lot of signage on the trails and if you just obey the signs and stay on the trail, you can be safe and enjoy the views, it’s really beautiful.”

The public is asked to stay away from the Soberanes Point area as search efforts continue.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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 Zoe Hunt

Click here for updates on this story

    BONNY DOON, California (KSBW) — The search for 73-year-old Jeanne Burke, missing since November 18 in the Bonny Doon area, has paused as authorities analyze GPS data to plan the next steps.

Burke was last seen near Smith Grade and Moore Ranch Road, prompting a large-scale search effort over the past week.

Crews have spent six days searching 3,500 miles of Bonny Doon, focusing on the area where Burke was last spotted.

Each search team was equipped with a GPS tracker to plot and track their search areas.

On Monday, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office temporarily paused active searching to analyze the GPS data and identify any gaps or missed areas that could guide future search efforts.

“The teams are taking all that data, and analyzing it, trying to see if there’s any gaps, any missed areas, any areas that would point it in the direction for the next search that’s going to happen,” Ryan Farotte, with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, said.

Mountain bikers familiar with the area have expressed concerns about the challenging conditions.

“I think very dangerous. Between the weather and the temperatures at night, and her age. And, we’re riding a pretty aggressive trails. And if you get lost on some of these, it’s. It would be pretty tough,” one mountain biker, Paul Miller, said.

Another mountain biker, Rodeny Stanton, added, “Could be really rough out there. there’s not a lot of not a lot of help. I mean, it’s pretty much just forest.”

Burke is believed to be wearing a plaid jacket, black pants, and flip-flops, which are not suitable for the cold mountain temperatures.

“We want to find her. That’s our biggest goal,” Farotte said.

Authorities are urging residents in the area to check their cameras and any buildings on their property, such as sheds or outhouses, where Burke might be seeking shelter.

They advise checking these locations again, even if they have been checked once, as Burke could be moving between locations.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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 Tia Maggio

Click here for updates on this story

    JEKYLL ISLAND, Georgia (WJCL) — A terrifying scene unfolded Sunday on Jekyll Island when a woman was attacked by a rabid bobcat in front of families at the island’s miniature golf course.

Investigators say the woman was walking between holes at Jekyll Island Miniature Golf when the bobcat suddenly charged and latched onto her leg. Families nearby ran for cover, but one man ran toward the danger.

Joshua Thornton said he heard a scream and saw the attack happening right in front of him.

“I assumed it was like a pet or something misbehaving. But you know, after looking a little harder, I saw that she was getting attacked by something,” Thornton said.

Thornton said he didn’t hesitate to jump in.

“I ran and helped her. And, I got the animal off of her and, you know, got to shoo it away. And, you know, try to contain a little bit. But then I made sure, you know, everybody was off the golf course,” Thornton said.

Jekyll Island officials confirmed the bobcat was killed after the attack. The woman suffered bite marks and scratches to her leg and drove herself to the hospital for treatment.

Thornton said the animal’s behavior was unlike anything he’s seen on the island.

“I’ve never seen one attack somebody — that was wild. I mean, he was definitely trying to kill something,” Thornton said.

Bobcats are commonly spotted on Jekyll Island — residents often share videos of them roaming in yards — but officials say this incident is unprecedented. In a statement, Jekyll Island Authority said:

“This person did not provoke the bobcat or do anything to cause the injuries that occurred. Incidents like this are extremely rare, and there is no immediate threat to the general public.”

The Glynn County Health Department confirmed the bobcat tested positive for rabies, a potentially deadly virus. They say unprovoked aggression is one of the key warning signs.

“For an animal to randomly attack somebody, that’s definitely not normal. There was definitely some abnormal,” Thornton said.

The woman has been advised to receive treatment for rabies exposure.

Officials are urging the public to avoid unnecessary interaction with wildlife, keep pets vaccinated and supervised, and report any unusual or aggressive animal behavior immediately.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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 Lisa Crane

Click here for updates on this story

    BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — It feels like the holiday season has kicked off now that we’re just a few days away from Thanksgiving. It’s a generous time of year, when we count our own blessings and realize there are a lot of people who aren’t as fortunate.

Volunteers at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama are packaging and wrapping holiday boxes full of the ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Monday, they got some help from the pros.

That’s the Magic City’s five professional sports teams.

Tim Sullivan with the Birmingham Stallions said, “Birmingham has a strong sense of community. And so, when people understand that there is a need and the people understand other people could use some help, the community picks up and works together to make sure that it’s a good effort.”

The Birmingham Barons, Bulls, Stallions, Squadron and Legion donated enough food for almost 500 meals. This is the third year of their combined effort.

Trevor McMullen with the Legion said, “We’re nothing without our community. A club is nothing without its community. So, to have a unique opportunity to give back to a community that shows us a ton of love, it’s an incredible opportunity. And yeah, I had a great time doing it.”

The food bank has been getting a lot of human help these days as well.

Executive Director Nicole Williams said, “The generosity of this community has been amazing during the government shutdown. We doubled the number of volunteers that we had. We opened shifts on the weekends, and people showed up. And, people gave funds and of their time, and we were so grateful, could not have done it without the support of the community.”

Williams said the generosity of folks in Central Alabama is unmatched. When they know there is a need, they step up with their money and their time. And while many of us feel generous during the holidays, she said, don’t forget the need is year-round.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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 Carlos Garcia

Click here for updates on this story

    RANKIN COUNTY, Mississippi (WAPT) — Jake Russell, a dedicated runner from Mississippi, achieved a remarkable feat by winning the Pinhoti 100 ultramarathon in Alabama, a race known for its brutal 100-mile course through rugged backcountry.

Russell, who has been running since his college days at Mississippi College, decided to take on the Pinhoti 100 after being inspired by the community of runners he encountered while crewing for Chris Mixon at a previous event.

“I was like, ‘Man, this is just cool.’ I was like, ‘I love this community,'” Russell said.

He signed up for the ultramarathon shortly after, despite not having run such a race before.

“Before I even ran that race, I signed up for Pinhoti. So I signed up for these two races, not even running any of them. And I was like, ‘Let’s go for it,'” he said.

The race began on the evening of Nov. 1 at Pine Glen Campground in Choccolocco, with Russell among 100 other racers.

“I had more of a chance of winning the lottery than I thought I had of winning this race,” Russell said.

As the race progressed, Russell faced significant physical challenges, particularly at mile 40 when lactic acid began to affect his calves.

“Everything hurts — like my core was hurting, my arms were hurting, my neck — every part of my body was hurting,” he said.

Despite the pain, Russell persevered, driven by a personal motivation to give everything he had.

“Everything in my body is like, ‘No, don’t.’ But I knew though, like mentally, I was like, ‘Man, if I don’t — I came out here because my goal was to give everything I had,'” he said.

With the finish line in sight, Russell pushed through the final mile, supported by his friend Chris, who kept him informed of the remaining distance.

“It was almost surreal because I felt like I didn’t even think I could win. I think my wife had a lot of confidence that I could finish,” Russell said.

Celebrating with his wife and friends, Russell enjoyed a Dr. Pepper, a favorite drink, marking a special moment of triumph and support.

“I drank it and she was holding me up, and it was a really nice moment to just be there with my wife and all my friends and all the people that were supporting me,” he said.

Now recovering from the race, Russell is contemplating future challenges. He said he might run another one, but not right away. As a first-time ultrarunner, Russell’s victory at the Pinhoti 100 marks a significant milestone in his running career.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate 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.