Daniella Lake
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is hosting their fourth annual Women in STEAM career day today. Students K-12 will have the chance to talk with women accounting, animal care, conservation, education, engineering and more.
The event is free with membership or paid park admission. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Living Legacy Garden located right inside of the main entrance.
By Joy Benedict
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SAN BERNARDINO, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Drivers often face a fear on the freeway that something may fall off a truck, cause an accident, injury, or worse, and for one young Redlands woman, it was her worst nightmare.
Janina Akporavbare recalls the day when she thought she was going to die. It was August 25, when she was driving on the westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway, near the Tippecanoe exit.
“I just remember seeing this huge pole coming at my car and I couldn’t swerve, cause it was during rush hour traffic,” she said.
The pole flew under her car and impaled her in the stomach.
“I woke up and I could feel something dripping on me. It was my blood. I was bleeding through my stomach, the pole was in my stomach,” Akporavbare said.
She had her younger brother in the back seat, so she forced herself off the road with the pole still dragging from her car.
“The pole was really long, so other cars were running over the pole while it was in my stomach.”
She called 911, and according to the Loma Linda Firefighters Association, “against overwhelming odds,” Akporavbare made it from the accident site to the hospital in 10 minutes. Firefighters cut the pole, and with it still inside her, she was transported in an ambulance.
“I asked the paramedic if he could pinky promise if I make it out of this, if I would make it out of this. He pinky promised me if I made it out, he would visit me in the hospital,” Akporavbare said.
Doctors gave her a 1% chance of survival, the association said. Akporavbare did survive, but her recovery hasn’t been easy. She underwent three surgeries and spent almost two months at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
“They took out part of my colon, part of my liver, part of my kidney — they were all injured.”
Thankfully, she has health insurance, but her car is totaled. Studying to be a nurse, she lost a semester of school and work, not to mention her struggle to drive again.
“I feel terrified, I don’t really drive that much, I don’t drive on that freeway,” she said.
Which is why she is hoping someone remembers the crash or the pole on the freeway so she and her attorney can help figure out who left it there.
Akporavbare said she is thankful to be walking and living, and for those who rescued her and helped her heal, as she is studying to someday do the same for others.
“It makes me want to be a nurse even more because I want to help people, like the nurses at Loma Linda helped me.”
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 Loureen Ayyoub
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COLMA, California (KPIX) — A service honoring the “Hello Girls,” women who served as bilingual telephone operators in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I, is set for this weekend at a cemetery in Colma.
The women did not receive recognition for their service until the late 1970s and were posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2024.
The Hello Girls performed critical communications work near combat zones, but at the time, their service was dismissed as clerical. They were not granted veteran status until decades later, after sustained advocacy.
Carolyn Timbie, whose grandmother Grace Banker served as chief operator in the Signal Corps, has been among those advocating for recognition.
“My mother told me about her – what an amazing woman, friend, mother. And for me to be robbed of knowing her service, that really hits home,” Timbie said.
Timbie and the Hello Girls Military Honors and Remembrance Project work to ensure the women’s gravesites include inscriptions recognizing their military service.
“It really was upsetting to see these women with no recognition, and we are experiencing this all the time as we visit the different headstones,” she said.
Timbie said 280 women served as telephone operators during World War I, wearing uniforms and facing life-threatening risks in combat zones.
“I have such immense pride in these women. It speaks to my heart that here we are finally seeing recognition for women that should have been honored decades ago,” she said.
The Department of Veterans Affairs and volunteer groups have worked to locate and honor the women, identifying eight interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, including Irma Armanet, whose gravesite had never been marked. Part of Saturday’s ceremony will include a dedication of her new military headstone.
The Hello Girls have also been the subject of books, a documentary, and a musical. The Ross Valley Players will perform the musical this weekend, with some cast members attending the ceremony.
The memorial will be held Saturday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
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 Dominic Garcia
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SACRAMENTO, California (KMAX, KOVR) — Whether it’s the military or a local police force, more and more women are signing up to serve and protect, but when it comes to the body armor they wear, there are not many options.
When it comes to body armor, comfort has always taken a backseat to safety.
But the people at Extremis Systems, a Sacramento company, are asking why can’t you have both? They’re actually the first to come out with body armor specifically for women.
“You can see that from the side, there’s actually a curve there,” said Jenna Landry, the chief revenue officer at Extremis. “Women are an important part of our forces, whether it’s military, EMS, law enforcement, fire, interpreters, they’re going on the front lines just like men and they should have the proper protection.”
“This stops as high as any standard that’s out there that needs to be stopped, which is armor-piercing rounds,” said Zachary Spencer, the company’s chief technology officer.
Spencer said they come in 18 different shapes and sizes and they use a polymer-carbon fiber mix, something that’s effective, cheaper, greener, and better fitting, which means better protection.
“There’s an initiative now on 30% of women in law enforcement by 2030, so we’re really there to support that initiative,” Landry said.
They’re aiming to do that by closing the gap between comfort and safety for women on the front lines.
“Durability, light weight, and survivability, so we keep you in the fight,” Landry said.
The people at Extremis say this eventually won’t just be for women. Men are interested in customized plates because they come in different shapes and sizes.
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 Nicole Nielsen
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AZLE, Texas (KTVT) — For more than 30 years, a North Texas homebuilder has constructed houses across the region, hundreds of them. Now, he’s trying something new.
“I’ve seen a lot of single mothers and widows that live in mobile homes, and they’re treated like second-class citizens. They should have the ability to have a nice place to live… and a nice community,” he said.
Building a different kind of community On six and a half acres in Azle, he is constructing 42 compact homes in a community called Bit O’Heaven, each designed to be low-maintenance but long-lasting.
“Money is kind of secondary in this situation. I’m not here for that. I’m here to create a place for people to live,” he said.
Each home will rent for a price intentionally set to be affordable, even if profit margins are slimmer.
A housing expert with the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center says it makes sense that projects like this are emerging as home prices continue to outpace wages.
That gap has left many single-income households stuck renting, sometimes indefinitely. Supply is also an ongoing problem.
“We’ve not built housing at the rate that we should have for many, many years,” the expert said. “We need more diversity of housing.”
A small step toward a larger need The builder says he started the project after realizing little hope exists for the gap to close anytime soon.
Though tiny homes cannot solve the housing crisis alone, he believes they give more single-family households a chance.
“I can only do a small piece. But hopefully it’ll spur somebody on to maybe do the same thing,” he said.
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By Jaelen Gilkey, Ana Maria Soler
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CORAL GABLES, Florida (WFOR) — A University of Miami basketball player is speaking out after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma last month.
Hurricanes sophomore Marcus Allen dreamed of wearing the orange and green, but it took an unexpected turn when he got that life changing diagnosis.
“The first time I realized something wasn’t right was the game after [University of] Florida. I wasn’t myself,” Allen said, “I didn’t feel 100%, but as a competitor, you still wanna go out there and play with your teammates.”
With that mentality, he tried to push through it, but his mother Angie knew something wasn’t right when she watched him on the stands.
What followed was an unexpected diagnosis that has left the University of Miami sophomore on the sidelines this season.
“With most injuries, you have a timetable, but with chemotherapy and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, there is none. Once I realized that, I knew I had to focus on getting through this first so I can get back on the court,” Allen said.
Allen’s cancer battle has shown his resilience to get back on the court Now, Allen is two months into his treatment of a battle that changed his family’s life, especially the bond between mother and son.
“Seeing her cry gave me a chance to wipe those tears away and show her I’ll be okay. No matter what, losing my hair, not playing basketball, I’ll be good. I’ll be back,” Allen said.
“To see the nausea, the fatigue… him not being able to get out of bed, it’s the hardest thing. I wouldn’t wish this on any mother,” Allen’s mother, Angie said.
Allen has still made an impact on his team and community even off the court. Every game, the Canes still wear his number proudly as a reminder of his fight.
“Life throws punches. You take them, and you keep battling. Marcus shows that: you fight no matter what cards you’re dealt,” Miami Hurricanes basketball coach Jai Lucas said.
How Allen made the university basketball team Allen was a consensus four-star recruit out of high school and led Miami Norland High to a state championship in 2024 after averaging 22.7 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. He was picked for the Allen Iverson Classic All-American game, plus helped AZ Compass Prep to the title game at the GEICO nationals in 2023.
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 Alexa Herrera, Doug Williams, Jesse Zanger, Alice Gainer
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NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — A New York police sergeant has been found guilty of second-degree manslaughter for killing a fleeing suspect after throwing a cooler at him.
NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran was convicted by Bronx Supreme Court Judge Guy Mitchell on Friday in the death of Eric Duprey, 30, during the August 2023 incident.
Duran, 38, faces up to 15 years in prison and will be sentenced on March 19. He was also facing a criminally negligent homicide charge, but it was waived.
The judge, who heard closing arguments on Tuesday, granted $300,000 cash bail, which Duran has until Feb. 10 to post to remain out of custody before sentencing.
Duran pleaded not guilty in his bench trial. There was no jury, just a judge hearing arguments and rendering the verdict.
Judge saw video of fatal police encounter The fatal incident happened when police were trying to arrest Duprey for a drug deal in the Bronx when he took off on a motorized scooter down the sidewalk. Duprey, a father of three, had just sold drugs to an undercover officer and was fleeing arrest, police said at the time.
Video shows Duran hurling a picnic cooler at Duprey’s head to try and get him to stop.
Duprey, who was going 30 miles per hour and not wearing a helmet, then swerves and slides under a vehicle. He later died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Sergeant testified in his defense Duran testified that he was trying to protect fellow officers, but Judge Mitchell ultimately ruled he had not done so appropriately.
The sergeant said that Duprey was going to crash into officers at the scene.
“All I had time for was to try again to stop or to try to get him to change directions. That’s all I had the time to think of,” he said.
Duran’s lawyers argued he did not know whether the cooler was full when he threw it. They said Duprey died because of a “series of bad choices,” including selling drugs, driving an illegal motorbike and driving on the sidewalk.
The defense said other people would’ve been killed because of Duprey’s reckless driving.
“He wasn’t trying to get away. He was ambushing them,” the defense said.
Prosecutors told the judge that Duran was trying to “save an arrest,” not lives, since Duprey was not an imminent threat. They argued it would have been more reasonable to yell “Look out!” or “Watch out!”
“This defendant’s actions were reckless, unreasonable, unnecessary. They were criminal,” prosecutors said.
N.Y. attorney general’s statement After the verdict was read, Duprey’s wife stood next to a cardboard cutout of her late husband.
“I have no words to tell you right now,” Orlyanis Velez said. “Three years waiting for justice.”
“A court in the Bronx said Black lives matter,” said Hawk Newsom, co-founder of BLM Greater NY.
The case was prosecuted by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office.
“Though it cannot return Eric to his loved ones, today’s decision gives justice to his memory,” James said in a statement.
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By Ross DiMattei, Bill Seiders
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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A beloved Center City dive bar is raising its minimum age requirement in an effort to crack down on underage drinking and disruptive behavior.
Dirty Frank’s, located at 13th and Pine streets, recently increased its minimum age for entry from 21 to 25. Owner Jody Sweitzer said the change comes after a surge in younger patrons using increasingly sophisticated fake IDs.
The final straw came about two weeks ago, when the bar’s doorman confiscated a fake ID featuring the face of Benjamin Franklin — complete with a fictional home address on Market Street. Sweitzer said the ID was nearly impossible to detect with traditional methods.
“This was the key,” she said. “It scans, the UV light works.”
Sweitzer said she had already noticed a rise in unruly behavior tied to a younger crowd, including patrons bringing in outside alcohol, vaping inside the bar and disregarding basic rules.
“These are not 21-year-olds,” Sweitzer said. “They don’t want to be in a bar. They just want to be obnoxious.”
Since the new rule went into effect, some patrons say the atmosphere has noticeably improved.
Elijah Calhoun, 25, said the bar had previously become overcrowded and chaotic.
“I’ve come in here and the aisles are packed full with people,” Calhoun said. “People are bumping into each other. They don’t really know how to act. Twenty-five, it’s a number for sure, but I believe it was needed.”
Not everyone agrees. Ryan Cooperman, 24, said he feels unfairly excluded.
“I’ve been there before. I’ve never caused a fuss. I’ve never caused a problem,” Cooperman said. “My ID is real.”
Cooperman likened the policy to a step backward in time.
“It’s like the Prohibition era,” he said. “What’s going on? We’re banning people who are above age to go to the bar?”
Sweitzer said she has seen the same fake IDs for sale online for about $100 and is in the process of purchasing a more advanced scanner capable of detecting them.
Until then, the bar plans to stick with its new house rule.
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By Web Staff
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MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (WDJT) — They call it ‘Canstruction’ and over at the Milwaukee Public Museum awards were handed out to the architectural design teams that built these unusual pieces of work.
Eleven teams created the ‘can-structures,’ the idea was to use non-perishable food cans. The food will eventually be donated.
CBS 58 talked to one of the project managers whose team used tuna cans to recreate one of the ancient heads on Easter Island.
“It’s incredibly cool and I heard that having protein for the cans was really helpful for families,” said Riley Steckert, project manager. “So I’m glad that our entire structure is basically made out of protein.”
The teams had to use at least a thousand cans.
Awards were given for best structural ingenuity, best use of labels, most cans and the people’s choice.
You can view the unusual structures until Feb. 16 at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
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By Jeremiah Estrada
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HALEIWA, Hawaii (KITV) — A 33-year-old surfer on an e-foil board was rescued after getting stranded in the ocean near Alii Beach Park on Friday night.
The Honolulu Ocean Safety Department received a call from the U.S. Coast Guard at 6:20 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, about a distress signal transmitted from a GPS device in the Alii Beach area. The signal came approximately half a mile offshore from a 33-year-old man who was e-foiling.
The surfer told Ocean Safety that he was unable to get back to shore after breaking his leash and losing his board.
The Coast Guard got into contact with the surfer at 7:53 p.m. and monitored him by air as Ocean Safety coordinated his rescue. He was safely rescued and was brought back to shore by jet ski.
Once on shore, the surfer did not require any medical attention.
“The Honolulu Ocean Safety Department reminds ocean users to ensure all safety equipment is properly secured and to remain aware of ocean conditions when engaging in offshore recreational activities.”
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