100 animals rescued from Georgia home in suspected hoarding case, officials say

CNN Newsource on December 22, 2025

By Dan Raby

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    HALL COUNTY, Georgia (WUPA) — A call about a possible animal hoarding case in Hall County led officials to discover 100 animals living at a Gainesville home, authorities said.

Officials with the Hall County Government said that Animal Control officers responded to the call at the home on Honeysuckle Road on Friday morning.

Animal control rescued 82 dogs, seven cats, eight rabbits, one horse, one bird, and a fish.

“While not currently available for rescue, all animals are in the care of the Hall County Animal Shelter, receiving appropriate veterinary evaluation and care,” a statement from the county reads.

The case remains under investigation by Hall County Animal Control.

Officials have not shared any additional details about the case or whether anyone will face any charges. The condition of the animals has also not been released.

Anyone interested in supporting the animals in the care of the Hall County Animal Shelter can make donations to the Friends of Hall County Animal Services Fund.

The shelter is open for adoptions and fosters from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday. More information is available online at Hall County’s website.

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

Housing Corporation of America hands out toys in Yuma

KYMA on December 22, 2025

Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – It is the season of giving, and one local organization is making the holidays brighter for children in the community.

After hosting a toy drive earlier this month, the Housing Corporation of America distributed toys to children at their homes on Thursday morning.

The effort brought smiles and excitement to dozens of young residents as staff members personally delivered the gifts.

“We did get some wonderful sponsorships and we got some toys,” said Dennise Lopez, an occupancy specialist with the organization. “Also, some of our staff helped out with donating toys, and we decided to go ahead and provide this for our residents,” she said.

The initiative aimed to spread joy to children who might otherwise go without a toy this Christmas. For staff members, the experience was especially meaningful.

“It feels like you’re able to give those kids something for Christmas that maybe their parents might not be able to,” said Julia Navarro, also an occupancy specialist.

In total, the Housing Corporation of America handed out toys to approximately 50 children, ensuring they could enjoy a part of the holiday season.

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Harvest Preparatory puts on “Tunnel of Lights” in San Luis and Yuma

KYMA on December 22, 2025

Paul Vozzella

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Harvest Preparatory School is bringing holiday cheer to the community by challenging its students to combine creativity, cultural learning, and service through a festive initiative known as the “Tunnel of Lights.”

The event is being held at both of the school’s campuses in San Luis and Yuma, where families and community members can drive through illuminated holiday displays in exchange for a charitable donation.

Admission requires either a five-dollar donation or three cans of food per vehicle, all of which will be donated to support the homeless and those in need.

More than 600 students from Harvest Preparatory participated in creating the displays, which feature Christmas themes inspired by countries from around the world.

Students were divided into groups and worked alongside their teachers to bring these international concepts to life, after lessons studied in their social studies classes.

Harvest Preparatory CEO Debra Ybarra emphasized that the event is rooted in giving back to the community.

She explained that while the collection of food donations is an important component, the broader goal is to create a meaningful and uplifting experience for families and children during the holiday season.

The Tunnel of Lights event in Yuma runs from December 19 through December 23. In San Luis, the event takes place on December 22 and 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., offering residents an opportunity to celebrate the season while supporting those in need.

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Yuma locals unite to save kitten from palm tree

KYMA on December 22, 2025

Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma residents came together to rescue a kitten stranded high above the ground.

The rescue unfolded after a call alerted Homeward Bound Animal Rescue to a kitten trapped with no clear way down, prompting a rapid response from both rescuers and bystanders.

Upon arriving at the scene, Homeward Bound Animal Rescue Director Megan Springer found that others had also stopped to help.

What began as a single response quickly turned into a coordinated effort among strangers united by concern for the animal’s safety.

“I was looking around and then some people came out of their truck and were like, ‘Hey, we’re here trying to help the cat too,’ and I was like ‘Cool,’ so it was like a team effort,” Springer shared.

One of the residents at the scene returned after purchasing a ladder and climbed up to reach the kitten. With careful movements, he was able to retrieve the animal and bring it safely back to the ground.

For Springer, the rescue was about more than saving a single animal. She said the experience reflected the close-knit nature of Yuma and the willingness of residents to step in and help one another without hesitation.

“One thing that I do love about this, is that the humanity of it is turning into ‘Yumanity,’ because we’re Yuma, and Yuma really brought it together. It wasn’t really me, I was just kind of the catalyst of being there and helping,” she expressed.

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California woman crashes into burglar’s car after they tried to steal from her home

CNN Newsource on December 22, 2025

By Laurie Perez, Dean Fioresi

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    SHERMAN OAKS, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Intense security camera video shows the moments that a Sherman Oaks woman slams into an alleged burglar’s car after they tried to steal from her home in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon.

A man, only wishing to be identified as David, says that his wife had left to get coffee a little before noon and was on the phone with her mother, who was still at home with their three young children.

“All of a sudden, her mom started screaming, ‘Help, help, help,'” David said. “They jumped the front gate, they came to the back to probably broke the sliding door to go in and they faced my mother-in-law, and they run away.”

Before they could get off the property, David said his wife was already on her way back home. The dramatic video shows her Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon speeding down their street and slamming into the alleged suspect’s white sedan before coming to a stop in the front yard.

“At that time those two guys was trying to run away and then she’s just, she was in panic. She lost control and ‘boom’ she hit them from the side,” David said.

After the crash, the video shows three different suspects running from the area on foot.

David says that his wife was worried someone would kill her mom or children.

“She doesn’t even care what’s gonna happen with the car, or whoever, you know,” he said.

Though the crash wasn’t intentional, it may have been helpful, David believes. He said that when Los Angeles police arrived and searched the car, they found a wallet with a driver’s license inside. They also discovered burglary tools like a red crowbar and a walkie-talkie that was tuned to the LAPD’s radio scanner.

David and his family are hopeful that their scare will help motivate police to find the would-be burglars and stop them before they can try the same thing at another house. He believes that they were professional criminals, stating that they not only cut the WiFi to the house and their Ring camera, but that there were multiple license plates inside the car as well.

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

Arizona Western selects Dr. Reetika Dhawan as its next president

KYMA on December 22, 2025

Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Western College (AWC) has announced the appointment of Dr. Reetika Dhawan as its next president, marking a historic moment for the institution.

Dhawan will become the 10th president in the college’s history and the first woman to hold the position. She is set to officially assume the role following the retirement of current President Dr. Daniel Corr next July.

Dhawan has been part of the AWC community since 2008 and currently serves as the chief executive officer of the college’s Entrepreneurial College, as well as vice president of workforce development.

Her experience spans faculty and administrative roles, which she says has shaped her leadership approach.

“Every single role I learned so much,” she said. “Being faculty, you work very close with the students, you understand better coaching, you understand faculty needs, so you understand how to support faculty. Being an administrator, you understand how to support students, and faculty, and staff, everybody, and community.”

Looking ahead, Dhawan envisions continued expansion and development for Arizona Western College.

Her goals include strengthening partnerships with Arizona’s three state universities. Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University, exploring the creation of a bachelor’s degree program, and expanding workforce training opportunities to meet the needs of a growing region.

She also has a desire to draw students from outside the Yuma area and beyond state lines.

“It’s gonna become bigger and bigger…We wanna have more students even outside the state and even outside the Yuma region come to Yuma and stay in Yuma. We wanna grow our own,” she said.

With her appointment, AWC signals a continued commitment to innovation, workforce development, and regional growth as it prepares for a new era under Dhawan’s leadership.

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Champion Church in Yuma putting on production of “Jesus is Born”

KYMA on December 22, 2025

Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – With Christmas just around the corner, a local church in Yuma is offering residents the opportunity to experience the origins of the holiday through a live theatrical production.

Champion Church will present its annual performance, “Jesus Is Born,” this weekend, bringing the biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ to the stage.

The production depicts the journey of Joseph and Mary and how they became the parents of Jesus. Preparations for the performance have been underway for nearly two months, with extensive rehearsals involving a large group of participants.

Approximately 200 people make up the cast and crew, ranging from young children to adults.

Champion Church Pastor LaCinda Bloomfield said the production is both a celebration of faith and a reflection of the crew’s growth.

She said sharing the love of Jesus with the city and watching participants develop their talents, especially children who have grown into adult roles over the years, has been especially meaningful.

“Jesus Is Born” will be performed at Champion Church from December 19 through December 21, with each show beginning at 7 p.m.

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Paving, bridge work completed on Woodmen Road in Colorado Springs; officials to monitor winter impact

KRDO on December 22, 2025

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Mild fall weather allowed crews to stay on schedule in repaving a 1.5-mile stretch of Woodmen Road, and now officials will watch how winter weather may affect a different paving material used in the project.

Stone mason asphalt (SMA) is the product used in resurfacing the busy road, from just east of the Academy Boulevard interchange to west of Interstate 25 at the Woodmen/Rockrimmon Boulevard interchange.

Paving started in late September and was completed last weekend.

Officials said that they were impressed with how SMA held up to heavy traffic in the Denver area and wanted to try it on Woodmen, which averages 60,000 vehicles daily.

SMA is thicker than traditional asphalt and harder to work with, but officials said that they’re happy with how it has performed so far.

“If you happen to be stopped at a street and you look down, it looks pretty rough,” said Richard Mulledy, the city’s public works director. “And that’s because of that structural stability. It’s not as noisy as you would expect with tire noise. We’ve been really, really happy with that because we were really careful about noise conditions through neighborhoods.”

Although SMA costs up to $53 per ton more than traditional asphalt, he said that the city will consider using it on selected future projects if it saves on maintenance costs.

“We’ll see how it does this winter,” Mulledy said. “We’re repaving six miles of Circle Drive next year. SMA could be a good candidate for that.”

Earlier this year, crews stripped off the previous asphalt that was mixed with rubber from old tires, which didn’t hold up well in Colorado’s high-altitude climate.

However, the city decided not to apply SMA to the Woodmen Bridge over Academy.

“We milled that off, down to the original deck — which is concrete — and that’s actually the finished condition,” he explained. “Now, when you drive and look at it, it looks a little spotty, discolored, unfinished. The sun will bleach that out. Over time, it will look better.”

In a separate but related project, crews repaired the bridge, which was built nearly 15 years ago, by replacing joints and broken concrete, and using improved materials to upgrade the bridge’s weathering surface — officials said it had deteriorated faster than expected.

In another related project earlier in the year, crews rebuilt the center median on westbound Woodmen, just east of I-25, to lengthen the left turn lanes onto the freeway and reduce traffic congestion.

The bridge repair cost $2.7 million, funded by the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority. The paving was part of the city’s annual 2C expanded paving program, funded by a voter-approved sales tax increase.

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Officer’s radio saves them from a bullet during shooting involving Albuquerque police

CNN Newsource on December 22, 2025

By Amari Saxton & Julian Paras

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Albuquerque Police say an officer was shot, but not hurt thanks to something every officer carries on them.

“This shot struck the officer in the chest” said Chief Harold Medina. “His radio saved his life. The bullet is lodged in the radio.”

APD says on Sunday afternoon officers were looking for a repeat auto theft offender, with two outstanding felony warrants.

Officers found the man in the area of Coors Boulevard and Iliff Road.

As they tried to arrest him, there was a struggle, and police say the man shot the officer.

A second officer fired back hitting the man.

That man is in critical condition.

Police have not identified him.

They do say the suspect has a criminal history, dating back 15 years.

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

Possible shark encounter reported as woman remains missing off Lovers Point

CNN Newsource on December 22, 2025

By Jacquelyn Quinones

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    PACIFIC GROVE, California (KSBW) — A search-and-rescue operation is underway in Pacific Grove after a 55-year-old woman went missing during a weekly open-water swim near Lovers Point on Sunday afternoon.

Pacific Grove police say the woman was swimming with a regular group that meets in the area every Sunday.

Investigators say the group entered the water as usual, but around noon, a witness on the shoreline reported seeing a “large splash.”

Police say the sight prompted the other swimmers to head back to shore out of concern it may have been a shark attack. Everyone in the group returned safely except the missing swimmer.

Two witnesses said the swimmer may have encountered a shark while swimming offshore near Lovers Point.

“She’s a 55-year-old blonde woman with blue eyes who is currently missing and who we’re searching for,” said Commander Brian Anderson with the Pacific Grove Police Department.

Law enforcement officials say shark sightings are rare along the Central Coast but do occur, and they believe this incident may be consistent with a shark attack based on the witness account.

Multiple agencies joined the response, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Monterey Fire Department, Seaside Fire, and CAL FIRE. Authorities say crews have been using rescue boats, drones, and helicopters as they search the water and surrounding area.

The woman was not found by 8 p.m., so rescue crews suspended their search until Monday morning. The search will continue with the Pacific Grove Police Department, Monterey Fire Department, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Officials say the swimmer’s family has been notified.

Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove, and McAbee and San Carlos beaches in Monterey, will stay closed through Tuesday. A beach advisory will remain in place for Asilomar State Beach, Monterey Municipal Beach, Del Monte Beach, and Monterey State Beach through Tuesday as well.

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