Month: January 2026

By Bill Evans

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    FAIRVIEW, North Carolina (WLOS) — At Fairview’s Cane Creek Middle School, Front Desk Secretary Brittany Killian provides service with a smile.

“She is the front line for the school,” said Principal Andrea Britt. “She does it all.”

Killian’s days start at 7:30 a.m., greeting visitors, meeting parents dropping off forgotten musical instruments and afterschool snacks for sports, and checking in tardy students, among other things.

It all makes for action-packed mornings.

“I stay busy,” she said with a laugh.

But her actions in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene drew national attention.

Killian and her family found their call to serve the morning of the storm. Her husband Matt runs a grading and excavation company and he got to work repairing washed-out roads in Fairview and Garren Creek. Brittany delivered food, medicine and organized supply drives for families isolated from the storm’s wrath, often hiking to homes, or hitching rides with first responders.

When she was able to drive up ravaged roads to help survivors, it was in an old Subaru she nicknamed “Trusty.”

“He wasn’t in the best of shape before the storm,” Killian chuckled. “I definitely destroyed him, to put it lightly.”

She frequently added oil and water to the over-heated Trusty, just to keep the car running.

When ABC’s Good Morning America came to Asheville for a live show six months after the hurricane, a sponsor, Hertz Car Sales, wanted to donate a 2024 Toyota RAV4 to a deserving volunteer. Killian was the clear choice to get the new set of wheels.

“Right after the storm happened, she had on backpacks. Her family — they were going in checking on people,” explained Britt. “I’m sure she was exhausted, but she didn’t stop. She just kept on going.” “We love it to pieces,” Killian said of the Toyota. “I hope to have it for a really long time.”

But storm relief and manning the front desk at Cane Creek aren’t Killian’s only calls to serve the Fairview community.

“Keep him in, keep him in! Get low, get low!,” she yells from the edge of the school’s wrestling mat.

That’s right, Killian is also the head wrestling coach at Cane Creek, one of just a few women in the state to coach the sport which she was introduced to as a senior at A.C. Reynolds High. She was one of two girls to wrestle on the team in 2007-2008, and almost always competed against boys.

“I was a little crazy,” she laughed.

Killian coaches her seventh-grade son Trevor at Cane Creek. Freshman Robert is on the Reynolds High wrestling team. Her sixth grade daughter Ava stays busy with wrestling and youth soccer.

The RAV4 gets a lot of use with service projects and shuttling the Killian children to school and sports activities, but Brittany says she’s not altogether comfortable with all the attention that has come from her nationwide recognition.

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.

By Nakell Williams

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — In several metro Atlanta neighborhoods, residents say safety feels closer to home as police officers move into the communities they serve.

Safer and connected is how neighbors describe areas participating in the Atlanta Police Foundation’s Secure Neighborhoods Program. It’s an initiative created to reduce crime by placing officers directly in the neighborhoods they patrol.

Officer Rodney McIntyre recently moved into the Carey Park community through the program, becoming both a protector and a neighbor.

“It’s kind of surreal,” McIntyre said about living where he works. “They gave me $75,000, which is unheard of, which was a blessing.”

McIntyre has worked in law enforcement for more than 10 years. He moved from Miami, Florida, not long ago. When he’s off duty from the Atlanta Police Department, McIntyre said he keeps things simple, watching TV and cooking.

“I cook a lot. If you’re looking for some good ox tails, you know, some nice, boiled peanuts, I’ve got you,” he said jokingly.

Across the street from Officer McIntyre, resident Mikayla Leverette said knowing a police officer lives nearby gives her peace of mind, especially when it comes to her children’s safety.

“I feel like he’s an asset to our community, especially living right across the street,” Leverette said. “It’s nice to have that extra set of security.”

Leverette, who moved into the neighborhood in May of 2025, said she’s noticed changes in traffic behavior since McIntyre moved into the community.

“I feel like they’re more cautious because they see his car out there on the corner,” she said. “They actually stop at the stop sign now, which makes it safer for all of the kids in the neighborhood.”

She added that the difference is especially noticeable when children are getting off the school bus.

“I also feel like it’s safer, especially with me having kids as well,” Leverette said.

The Atlanta Police Foundation says these everyday changes reflect broader success. Leaders say crime is down 30 percent in Vine City since the first officers moved into the neighborhood through the program in 2016. Overall, crime dropped about 10 percent after the first year an officer moved into the designated neighborhoods.

Nikki Glanton, vice president of communications & public affairs for the Atlanta Police Foundation, said the Secure Neighborhoods Program focuses heavily on new home construction. For years, the foundation has partnered with local builders to construct and sell homes to qualified Atlanta police officers in neighborhoods such as English Avenue and Vine City.

The goal, Glanton said, is to strengthen relationships between officers and residents while reducing crime.

Officers who participate must commit to serving and engaging in community activities at least 10 hours per month. Many of them spend that time mentoring young people or supporting neighborhood initiatives.

McIntyre said living in Carey Park allows him to support the community even when he’s off duty and spends a lot of time engaging with them.

“I put myself out there a lot,” he said.

McIntyre said his home was about $100,000 cheaper through the program.

Atlanta Police Foundation officials said nearly 50 officers have participated since it launched nearly a decade ago, a number the foundation hopes will continue to grow as more neighborhoods see the impact firsthand.

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.

KYW

By Ross DiMattei, Bill Seiders

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Police say a group of suspects traveled from New York City to Bucks County to carry out a targeted robbery at a pharmacy, stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of high-demand weight loss medications and raising concerns about a growing black market.

The robbery happened around 9 a.m. Thursday at Smart Choice Pharmacy on Street Road, according to Bensalem police.

Investigators said three suspects attacked a delivery driver as he was unloading medication at the pharmacy. The suspects stole two boxes containing GLP-1 weight loss drugs, including Mounjaro, Ozempic and Trulicity. The medications were valued at about $16,000, police said.

“This is kind of very surprising, the way this happened,” Jigar Patel, a pharmacist at Smart Choice Pharmacy, said.

Patel said he was stunned by the crime, noting that he has never experienced anything like it in more than a decade in the retail pharmacy business.

“Shocked. Shocked,” Patel said. “Never ever happened in my 10-plus years of retail business.”

Police said the suspects fled the scene in a gold-colored Toyota and nearly struck a witness who was attempting to record the robbery. Officers located the vehicle and recovered the stolen medication minutes later. All three suspects were taken into custody and face multiple charges, including robbery, theft and assault.

Bensalem Township Public Safety Director William McVey said investigators believe the crime was carefully planned.

“It’s interesting when someone travels over two hours to one specific pharmacy in our township to do something like this,” McVey said. “It was definitely targeted. It’s very interesting the type of medication they’re going after.”

GLP-1 weight loss drugs have surged in popularity and can cost more than $1,000 per month without insurance coverage. Police and pharmacists say their high value and limited availability may be fueling an underground market.

“Not everyone can get their hands on it,” Patel said. “These are $1,000 drugs. For anyone that’s not easily able to pay for it, this becomes an alternate route.”

Pharmacy employees told police they received suspicious phone calls and emails in the days leading up to the robbery, with callers asking about delivery schedules. Authorities are now urging pharmacies to be alert to similar warning signs.

“If someone’s making phone calls asking about when deliveries are coming, possibly notify your police department,” McVey said. “Make sure the parking lot’s clear before you’re accepting $16,000 worth of product or more. That has value to some people, and criminals will find it.”

Police said they are continuing to investigate and hope the robbery does not signal a broader crime trend targeting pharmacies.

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.

By Ross DiMattei, Bill Seiders

Click here for updates on this story

    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Police say a group of suspects traveled from New York City to Bucks County to carry out a targeted robbery at a pharmacy, stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of high-demand weight loss medications and raising concerns about a growing black market.

The robbery happened around 9 a.m. Thursday at Smart Choice Pharmacy on Street Road, according to Bensalem police.

Investigators said three suspects attacked a delivery driver as he was unloading medication at the pharmacy. The suspects stole two boxes containing GLP-1 weight loss drugs, including Mounjaro, Ozempic and Trulicity. The medications were valued at about $16,000, police said.

“This is kind of very surprising, the way this happened,” Jigar Patel, a pharmacist at Smart Choice Pharmacy, said.

Patel said he was stunned by the crime, noting that he has never experienced anything like it in more than a decade in the retail pharmacy business.

“Shocked. Shocked,” Patel said. “Never ever happened in my 10-plus years of retail business.”

Police said the suspects fled the scene in a gold-colored Toyota and nearly struck a witness who was attempting to record the robbery. Officers located the vehicle and recovered the stolen medication minutes later. All three suspects were taken into custody and face multiple charges, including robbery, theft and assault.

Bensalem Township Public Safety Director William McVey said investigators believe the crime was carefully planned.

“It’s interesting when someone travels over two hours to one specific pharmacy in our township to do something like this,” McVey said. “It was definitely targeted. It’s very interesting the type of medication they’re going after.”

GLP-1 weight loss drugs have surged in popularity and can cost more than $1,000 per month without insurance coverage. Police and pharmacists say their high value and limited availability may be fueling an underground market.

“Not everyone can get their hands on it,” Patel said. “These are $1,000 drugs. For anyone that’s not easily able to pay for it, this becomes an alternate route.”

Pharmacy employees told police they received suspicious phone calls and emails in the days leading up to the robbery, with callers asking about delivery schedules. Authorities are now urging pharmacies to be alert to similar warning signs.

“If someone’s making phone calls asking about when deliveries are coming, possibly notify your police department,” McVey said. “Make sure the parking lot’s clear before you’re accepting $16,000 worth of product or more. That has value to some people, and criminals will find it.”

Police said they are continuing to investigate and hope the robbery does not signal a broader crime trend targeting pharmacies.

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.