Trial on Missouri abortion regulations to begin in Kansas City

KMIZ on January 12, 2026

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Day one of the trial on abortion regulations in Missouri is set to begin in Kansas City Monday morning.

Planned Parenthood is suing to permanently end the state’s abortion laws. The trial will take place in the Jackson County Circuit Court, starting at 9 a.m. and is expected to run for two weeks. Abortion care will remain available to Missourians throughout the trial court process.

After voters approved the passage of Amendment 3 in November 2024, a Jackson County Judge put a pause on Missouri’s enforcement of abortion restrictions a month later.

The judge’s 22-page ruling temporarily blocks several state laws regulating the procedure. That includes Missouri’s law banning abortions except for a medical emergency.

Planned Parenthood sued the state shortly after voters approved Amendment 3 in November, enshrining reproductive rights in the state’s constitution. It called for the judge to block multiple laws and rules around abortion.

In May, the Missouri Supreme Court overruled the Jackson County judge, bringing restrictions back.

The ruling says that the judge applied the wrong legal standard when she approved a preliminary injunction in December 2024 to block the enforcement of state laws while the case is litigated.

The state’s ban was then blocked again by the Jackson County judge, ruling that the “threat of irreparable harm is especially apparent in the context of abortion care” and that language from Missouri’s previous total abortion ban “is directly at odds with Amendment 3.”

The court issued the preliminary injunction against several medically unnecessary bans and restrictions that allowed Planned Parenthood providers to resume procedural abortion care in Columbia, Kansas City, and St. Louis.

Monday’s trial will feature testimony from both anti-abortion and abortion-rights groups.

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18 malnourished dogs seized, two people arrested after animal cruelty investigation in Erie

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By Sadie Buggle

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    ERIE, Colo. (KRDO) — Police say two people are now in custody after a malnourished dog prompted an investigation into animal cruelty at a property in Erie.

According to the Town of Erie Police Department, animal control officers received a report on Jan. 5 of a dog found in the 1300 block of Reliance Place. When officers arrived, they found a severely malnourished and underweight dog with “minimal muscle definition.”

Due to serious concerns for the dog’s welfare, it was taken to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley for a full veterinary evaluation, the department said. The dog was not microchipped and wasn’t wearing a collar, leading it to be classified as a stray.

However, police said the information witnesses provided during the initial call indicated there was a “strong likelihood” that more animals were being kept in similiar conditions – prompting them to notify investigators.

After further investigation, authorities obtained a search warrant for a nearby residence in the 1300 block of Reliance Place, and on Jan. 8, they seized 18 dogs from the home. The sheriff’s office says the majority of those dogs were found to be “neglected and emaciated.”

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Woman indicted in shooting death of girlfriend

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By Paris Flannigan

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    ST. LANDRY PARISH — OPELOUSAS, La. (KATC) — A St. Landry Parish grand jury has indicted a 21-year-old Lafayette woman on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the 2025 shooting death of an Opelousas teenager.

According to the St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office, the grand jury indicted Kera Rose Vitatoe on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in the death of 18-year-old Mareya Henry of Opelousas.

Investigators say the shooting occurred just after 1 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2025, in the 100 block of Hashim Street. Authorities report that Henry was shot twice in the back with a 9mm firearm. She was transported to a hospital for treatment, but later died from her injuries.

Prosecutors state Vitatoe and Henry were involved in a romantic relationship that had a documented history of violence. Court records indicate Henry had sent a note requesting help prior to the shooting. When Henry’s cousin arrived at the scene, he was reportedly shot in the shoulder by Vitatoe.

Second-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life at hard labor under Louisiana law.

Vitatoe is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 22, 2026, in St. Landry Parish.

The case remains under the jurisdiction of the St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office.

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‘Stand with them’: Supporters of mosque plans campaign before city council vote

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By Samson Tamijani

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    BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (KJRH) — One day before an anticipated special meeting, the campaign to gather support for rezoning needed to build a mosque collected more than a thousand opinion forms to turn into Broken Arrow City Council, proponents said.

The planned Islamic community center would be a place of worship, recreation, and even health care for more than 10,000 Muslims in Green Country if the council approved it, according to Islamic Society of Tulsa.

Tulsa County Democratic Party chair Sarah Gray told 2 News on Jan. 11 that is worth generating support.

Gray said she spent the day coordinating volunteers to knock on doors in Broken Arrow to collect yellow supporting opinion forms for submission to the city council.

“I didn’t call anybody and say, ‘Hey, are you guys Democrats? Are there any Democrats who are affected by this?’ We just saw that they were neighbors who were in need of having neighbors come and stand with them,” Gray said.

Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry CEO Aliye Shimi – herself a Muslim resident of Broken Arrow – said she’s collected more than 3,000 opinion forms from congregants of non-Muslim faith groups around the Tulsa metro area.

“This shows that we are a community,” Shimi said. “This shows that unity that’s in the community.”

Last week Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced his office will investigate the construction’s funding and whether its parent organization might have ties to terrorism.

Shimi said she doesn’t buy it.

“(It is) a waste of our taxpayer money,” Shimi said. “Just feeding into the fear of these poor community members in Broken Arrow, right? I understand there’s a lot of ignorance behind this. I understand there’s a lot of fear. People are afraid of the unknown.”

The Broken Arrow City Council special meeting will be at the NSU-Broken Arrow campus administration building at 6 p.m. on Jan. 12.

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Carriage horse runs into traffic, hits multiple vehicles

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By Alexa Herrera

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A carriage horse in New York City crashed into multiple vehicles after bolting out of Central Park. Video shows the horse trotting through the street and hitting a taxi.

The incident happened when the horse ran into oncoming traffic on Thursday morning through the four-way intersection of Sixth Avenue and West 59th Street.

Officials from the nonprofit animal rights organization NYCLASS, short for New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets, said people had to jump and run out of the way to avoid being trampled.

Police said four to five unoccupied, unattended cars were hit. No one was injured.

The condition of the horse is unknown, NYCLASS said.

A horse crashed into a sign in Central Park in September. A video showed a person falling out of the carriage and another person jumping out.

Two other horses also got loose from their drivers in May and were running through Central Park unattended. In this incident, a driver broke his wrist trying to catch his horse and needed surgery.

The debate over allowing horse-drawn carriages in New York City has been going on for decades.

Former Mayor Eric Adams pushed for the City Council to pass Ryder’s Law in 2025. The bill was named after a carriage horse that collapsed in 2022 and died of cancer a few months later.

The law would’ve phased out the industry by stopping new licenses from being issued and replacing the carriages with electric alternatives. It didn’t pass after four members voted against it.

Edita Birnkrant, executive director of NYCLASS, said her team will work with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other elected officials to pass Ryder’s Law.

“Horses are unpredictable and nervous prey animals — hardwired to bolt when frightened — and forcing them to drag open carriages through chaotic Manhattan is reckless endangerment,” she said. “In a split second, someone could have been killed or seriously hurt.”

Mamdani previously stated his desire to ban the industry. In December, he said he supported removing horse carriages from Central Park.

The union representing carriage drivers said the industry supports the livelihoods of workers and their families.

“They are largely hardworking immigrants who take good care of their horses, and have consistently been attacked and slandered by monied interests who care nothing about animal welfare,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen in November.

He previously said the union is calling for a horse stable in Central Park to keep the animals off the streets.

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Man tased, arrested at the altar during violent disturbance in church

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By Anthony Carlo

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    NEW YORK (WABC) — Parishioners came for a peaceful morning mass on Staten Island on Friday – and left with palpitations.

Stunned parishioners watched it all unfold at St. Ann’s in Dongan Hills. Police officers responded to a 911 call for a disorderly man inside the church.

The unruly man dropped on the altar after being tased by police. The priest ducked out of the way – his sermon was over before it even began.

The two officers tried to make the man leave but putting him in handcuffs would prove not to be an easy task. Flowers went flying during the all-out brawl on the altar.

As police tried to wrestle the resisting man out of the church, he yelped repeatedly as they pummeled him in the head and dragged him away, at one point trying to kick out his leg.

Eventually, the man broke free and started fighting back, throwing punches at both officers.

Police were finally able to get the man under control and into custody.

There is no word on prompted the outburst, but Eyewitness News is told he is not a parishioner. His identity has not yet been released.

Charges are pending on the man while he is in the hospital being evaluated.

Two officers are being treated for minor injuries.

The church altar also sustained minor damage.

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21-year-old reunites with NICU nurse for her birthday wish

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By WABC Staff

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    NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WABC) — Last month, Madison Kennedy told her mother her 21st birthday wish was to reunite with her NICU nurse. On Friday, that wish came true.

Kennedy, who spent nearly nine weeks in the unit after being born prematurely on Dec. 5, 2004, asked her mother Christine, who works in the Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in HOPE Tower, if she could meet the nurse who took care of her during that time.

Christine has spoken to Kennedy many times about her NICU nurse, Janine Buggle.

Buggle cared for Kennedy when she was 1 pound, 3 ounces and 12 inches long, born at 22 and a half weeks.

For 30 years, Buggle has been caring for infants in the Jersey Shore’s K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital’s NICU.

On Friday, Kennedy had an emotional reunion with Buggle, who her mother credits with Kennedy’s survival and well-being.

K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital’s NICU is the first in New Jersey to achieve the Gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

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Man allegedly stole 7 puppies then sold them outside a Maryland mall

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By JT Moodee Lockman

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Baltimore man is facing charges after he allegedly stole seven puppies from a home in Maryland and sold them outside a mall, according to Aberdeen Police.

Officers said a suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Kahili Hines, stole the puppies during a burglary in the 100 block of North Post Road on Nov. 15, 2025.

The victim told police that seven Shih Tzu/Yorkie puppies had been taken.

On Dec. 16, 2025, Hines was identified and arrested. He told police that he sold the puppies at Arundel Mills Mall while carrying them around in a wagon. Police have not yet confirmed this.

Aberdeen Police are asking for information about the puppies’ whereabouts, but clarified that they do not wish to remove them from their homes.

According to police, the puppies were sold in November or December.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Lightner of the Criminal Investigations Division at 410-272-2121, option 2, or clightner@aberdeenmd.gov.

This is not the first time a dog has been stolen in Maryland.

In September 2025, a Baltimore woman was reunited with her 15-year-old Yorkshire Terrier after the dog was stolen along with her car.

The victim, De Richelieu, said she was in the parking lot of the Columbia Crossing Plaza recharging her car battery when the car was taken with her dog inside. Howard County police found the car and the dog shortly after the reported theft.

In October 2022, three dogs were stolen at gunpoint after the victims attempted to sell the dogs in a parking lot in Laurel.

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Anonymous couple donates $100,000 to Santa Fe Animal Shelter

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By Julian Paras

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    SANTA FE, New Mexico (KOAT) — An anonymous couple surprised the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society with a $100,000 donation on Christmas Eve, offering vital support for the shelter’s animal care and community initiatives.

“Some anonymous donors came through our front doors and told us they had a $100,000 check for us,” Lex Gowans said. “It was wild!”

The donation, which is all real, came as a surprise to the shelter, especially during their year-end campaign. Marketing Director and Communications for the shelter, Gowans, expressed the impact of the donation, noting that the average annual cost to care for an animal at the shelter is slightly more than $1,800.

“This gift of $100,000 not only allows us to care for the hurt, sick, and lost pets that come through our front door annually, but it also allows us to keep people with their pets,” Gowans said.

The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, have a personal connection to the shelter, as their family was involved with the original shelter.

“We were a little shelter on Cerrillos Road in 1939 to 2005, and those folks actually had family who were at our original shelter,” Gowans said.

Gowans emphasized the importance of community support, saying, “We are not able to do this work without our community. Time and time again, we are shocked that people show up and care about our animals, and there are no words that can describe how grateful we are.”

People interested in getting involved with the shelter can visit the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society website and look under the ‘Get Involved’ tab.

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A Century of Adventure: Route 66 centennial inspiring others to hit the road

CNN Newsource on January 12, 2026

By Julian Paras

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Classic car enthusiasts are traveling along Route 66 to celebrate its centennial, showcasing restored vehicles and encouraging others to explore the historic road. Keith Flickinger, who owns a 1934 Buick Model 61, is among those participating in the journey.

This road trip is thanks to America’s Automotive Trust in an effort to get others on the road and experience Route 66.

Flickinger said his Buick, “took about a little over one year to build…and test it so that we could be here today.”

The caravan, consisting of ten cars from various eras of automobile history, is heading to Chicago, Illinois, and will then be displayed at the Detroit Auto Show. Each vehicle has its own unique story, with Flickinger’s Buick having been transformed from a $1,600 carcass of a car to a well-oiled machine valued between $60,000 and $80,000.

Participants are emphasizing the significance of Route 66’s centennial celebration.

“We are driving different brands, different years, different makes, and not specific to one brand or make or year,” Flickinger said.

The trip is supported by America’s Automotive Trust, with volunteers aiming to unite car enthusiasts and celebrate the drive on Route 66. More than that, they want others to help preserve the history of the legendary Route 66 and the cars that drove on it.

“It’s all about bringing like-minded car organizations together, bringing enthusiasts together, and celebrating the drive and celebrating cars. And there’s no better road to do it on than on Route 66,” AAT Marketing & Communications Director Jake Welk said.

Jason Wenig, who is making his first trip on this drive, described Route 66 as “the Mother Road” and likened it to a Mecca for car lovers. The journey, known as “The Drive Home,” sometimes requires fixing parts and staying on schedule. However, the group hopes to inspire others to embark on their own Route 66 adventures.

“I want everybody in America to hop in a car and drive Route 66,” Wenig said. “Do some business with the local communities, connect these places that are in more rural areas.”

Their journey through the land of enchantment has taken them to iconic sights such as the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, Santa Rosa’s Route 66 Museum, and the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, a town known for its neon signs and one of the last places to maintain garages along Route 66.

“Every time we roll into a big city, small city, little town, ghost town, the people are so excited and welcoming to see us driving Route 66,” Flickinger said.

Flickinger hopes this trip inspires others to explore the historic road too.

“That doesn’t mean you have to lose the passion and the drive for what we’re doing and what we live and what we love,” Flickinger said.

This is the 7th journey for “The Drive Home.” The caravan will arrive in Chicago on Jan. 12 and participate in the Detroit Auto Show Jan. 14.

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.