Canadian gets 2 life terms in failed murder plot, prosecutors say

By Ricardo Tovar

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KSBW) — A Canadian man convicted of trying to kill two people in Monterey County in 2024 after posing as a delivery driver has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison, prosecutors said Thursday.

Devin Wolfgang Vanderhoef, 26, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder of two victims, Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said.

He was also sentenced to five consecutive years for personally inflicting great bodily injury and personally using a weapon during the crimes.

Vanderhoef was convicted in February of two counts of attempted murder and one count of residential burglary. A jury also found true allegations that he personally inflicted great bodily injury and personally used a weapon during the attack.

According to the district attorney’s office, Vanderhoef met the female victim through online video gaming.

In November 2024, Vanderhoef flew from Canada to Monterey County, bought knives, handcuffs and duct tape, and surveilled the woman’s home and workplace, prosecutors said.

Investigators said he posed as an Amazon delivery driver to gain access to the home.

On the night of the attack, Vanderhoef forced his way inside and stabbed the woman’s boyfriend, causing great bodily injury, according to prosecutors.

Both victims were able to flee the home, but Vanderhoef followed them outside and continued the attack, the district attorney’s office said.

During the struggle, the boyfriend was able to disarm Vanderhoef and stab him repeatedly.

Prosecutors said Vanderhoef then tackled the woman as she tried to run back inside and strangled her until she could not breathe.

The district attorney’s office said Vanderhoef later confessed that he had been planning the attack for a month before flying to California and said his plan was to “actually kill someone.”

Vanderhoef was at the scene with co-defendant Darius Avery Whyte. Whyte was initially questioned at the scene and allowed to leave after telling investigators he did not know what was happening.

Investigators later alleged Whyte was involved in the scheme, and he was arrested on a tarmac in San Jose while preparing to fly back to Canada.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office previously told KSBW 8 in February that Whyte accepted a plea deal in the case.

He was later sentenced on April 3, 2026, but it is unclear how much time he was sentenced to or what the final charges he was sentenced for were.

The case was investigated by Detective Arras Wilson of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

Masked thieves caught on video targeting work vehicles in North Sacramento

By Esteban Reynoso

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Masked thieves have been caught on video breaking into work vehicles in North Sacramento, leaving victims struggling with losses and demanding action from authorities.

One victim, who works in construction and did not want to be named, described waking up Tuesday morning to find his work van broken into outside his home on Didcot Circle.

“I woke up to a broken window, and broken glass on the floor,” he said.

He added that this is not the first time he has been targeted.

“The crime has gone up so much. They’ve robbed me four times in the past two years. Each time I’m losing five to eight thousand dollars in work tools,” he said.

Another victim, who lives a few blocks away, shared video footage of masked men dressed in black, wearing headlamps and gloves, breaking into his work truck and stealing tools worth $5,000 in under a minute.

“It’s really frustrating when you’re trying to get to work, and all your tools are gone and you can’t do anything,” he said.

The second victim believes the same black truck was used in both burglaries.

“We need the police to do something. The government of Sacramento needs to focus on stopping these criminals. We are fed up with the crime in these communities.

Especially in these poor communities, like Del Paso,” he said.

Sacramento police said they could not confirm the number of burglaries in the area or whether the incidents are related.

One victim expressed additional frustration, saying he prefers to speak Spanish but Sacramento police did not have a translator available. He said they sent him a QR code to complete his police report online.

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Updating traffic impacts from monthlong wastewater construction project in Pueblo

Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — Officials said that traffic impacts at the intersection of Stockyard Road and La Crosse Avenue, because of an $8 million utility project, may end up less than expected.

That’s because crews won’t have to dig into the street to install a liner inside a half-mile of existing wastewater pipe.

It’s good news for the many drivers who use La Crosse to travel east and west to detour around the bridge construction at the Interstate 25/US 50 East interchange, and as a shortcut to the US 50 Business Loop.

Officials said that most of the traffic impacts will come later in the project, when crews upgrade several manholes on Stockyard between La Crosse and the Pueblo Wastewater treatment plant.

While the liner installation is underway, crews will use a temporary bypass line to convey the wastewater flow until they can clean and place the liner in the existing line.

The bypass will wind through the construction site on the south side of the entrance to Confluence Park, and continue under the La Crosse Bridge, and behind several industrial businesses before reaching the treatment plant.

Officials expect to finish the project by mid-July.

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Coloradan’s 100,000-piece military uniform collection tells stories of those who served

By Mike Castellucci

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    BRIGHTON, Colorado (KMGH) — Barry Hildebrant has spent decades collecting military uniforms and artifacts, building what may be the largest private collection of its kind — spanning from the Civil War to today. But the real story isn’t just about the collection. It’s about the unlikely friendship that grew out of it.

Hildebrant’s basement holds an estimated 100,000 items. Among them: a nurse’s uniform from the China-Burma theater of World War II, and a toiletry bag with an unused bar of Palmolive soap.

“This came with a nurse’s uniform. She was in the China-Burma theater during World War II and this was her toiletry bag…unused bar of Palmolive,” Hildebrant said.

For Hildebrant, every item is a connection to a life once lived.

“I wondered who carried this and what their life was like, what they saw,” Hildebrant said.

Ishamina Johnson, who visited the collection, said the experience left her speechless.

“I had to come and see this… It’s incredible, actually,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the personal nature of the artifacts is what makes them so powerful.

“It’s interesting to me because it’s so personal… There’s another human being that touched this and used these items,” Johnson said.

One uniform — pulled at random from thousands — turned out to belong to a World War II sniper. Hildebrant knew the story immediately.

“He was a sniper during World War II… The fun thing is figuring out how many hangers go with it,” Hildebrant said.

But beyond the collection, Hildebrant and Johnson share a story of their own.

The two were matched through a buddy telephone program. Johnson needed volunteer hours. Hildebrant needed someone to talk to.

“We got matched up… I’d call him once a week,” Johnson said.

“She needed to talk to someone who was going through some things. I’ve been through cancer twice, I had my right kidney removed last October, open heart surgery when I was 4,” Hildebrant said.

For Johnson, watching Hildebrant go through his health struggles was deeply difficult.

“One of the saddest things in my life, seeing him like that,” Johnson said.

The volunteer program eventually ended. Their friendship did not.

“I mostly take him on walks,” Johnson said. “I manage his Facebook page called the National War Museum of the Rockies, and he has become family.”

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMGH’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.

Cannabis shops at risk of closing amid new federal law

By Jasmine Franklin

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    WAUWATOSA, Wisconsin (WISN) — Several cannabis stores are fighting to stay in business, including Kelly’s Greens in Wauwatosa.

The owner, Erin Kelly, said they’re facing uncertainty as a new federal hemp law is set to take effect this November.

Kelly opened the cafe after losing her job during the pandemic, but she says they are now at risk of shutting down.

“The ban is super impactful here because Wisconsin has no other access to legal cannabis,” Kelly said.

Recreational and medicinal marijuana are both illegal in Wisconsin.

But stores selling THC and CBD products have been working under a federal loophole, until now.

New federal legislation set to take effect on Nov. 12 would ban all hemp products with a THC concentration over .3 percent, impacting shops across the state.

“We have 3500 jobs on the line; this is a $700,000 million industry,” Kelly said.

“I mean, it would be devastating if we have to close. Kelly’s Greens has become an essential place in our community,” Kelly said.

The cannabis cafe is not giving up; they’re hosting a rally on Monday, hoping to gain more attention from state lawmakers.

Several bipartisan bills aimed at regulating t-h-c products in the state have already failed.

“All of those would go away, including CBD dog treats and sleep gummies, so it’s a complete ban that would leave our community with no options,” Kelly said.

Kelly says the ban’s impact reaches far beyond her shop; it will also be a change for the many Wisconsinites who rely on it.

The “Save Hemp” rally is Monday at 5:30 p.m., outside Kelly’s Greens located at 90th and North.

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Residents push back on police-ICE partnership policy

By Imani Fleming

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    WEST ALLIS, Wisconsin (WISN) — Residents, immigrant rights advocates, and labor groups in West Allis are urging changes to a new policy that allows local police in West Allis to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement with arrests without requiring a warrant signed off by a judge.

“Requiring a judicial warrant does not block federal enforcement, it simply ensures the West Allis Police Department does not do ICE’s bidding based on inaccurate information,” said Rep. Angelito Tenorio, who represents West Allis in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

The group gathered outside the West Allis Police Department to voice concerns about the partnership between ICE and local police and talk about the differences between an administrative warrant and a judicial warrant.

They believe the collaboration will negatively impact the community, making residents less likely to trust local law enforcement or seek help during emergencies.

Their concerns follow the West Allis Police and Fire Commission’s approval of the policy, which community leaders argue undermines due process, increases the risk of unlawful detentions, and diminishes accountability for both local and federal law enforcement.

The group said they have been in discussions with the Police and Fire Commission, noting that some commissioners have been receptive to their suggestions. They plan to continue these talks at a meeting scheduled for July 16 at the police department.

12 News is waiting to hear back from the Police and Fire Commission.

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‘I took action and saved her life’: New York student saves neighbor’s life

By Eileen Buckley

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    TONAWANDA, New York (WKBW) — A Kenmore East High School senior is being called a hero after using his emergency medical training to save his neighbor’s life.

Caelob Wilkins, 17, recently earned a nursing assistant certification through BOCES and interned with the Town of Tonawanda paramedics. He put those skills to use a couple of weeks ago.

“I got to my neighbor’s house, and she was suffering from extreme blood loss,” he said. “So, I got there, and I took action and saved her life.”

Susan Ali, 53, lives alone and has been on dialysis for 27 years. The access port in her leg suddenly popped open after a shower. She called a friend, who called 911 and her neighbors.

“Caelob and his family came running when I was on the floor, and not really with it,” Ali recalled.

Wilkins used a belt as a tourniquet on her bleeding leg.

“I was freaking out,” Wilkins said. “I saw a lot of blood, and I knew I had to stop it. I kept telling her to stay awake, because you don’t want them to pass out, and she was thanking us that we were helping her.”

His father, Michael Wilkins, was by his side and watched in awe.

“To see your son do that was huge,” he said. “I’m a very proud father, very proud.”

Wilkins’ mother, Jade, described the moment her son acted without hesitation, even skipping protective gear to get to Ali faster.

Wilkins said he knew the stakes were high. He credits his mother’s career for inspiring him to help others.

“My mom has always helped people with other situations,” Wilkins said. “She works as a social worker, and I like to help people, and she inspired me to do that.”

Town of Tonawanda paramedic Joshua Lembke tells me that what Wilkins did took real courage.

“It takes a lot for a kid, especially his age, to step in and do anything in that kind of situation. Especially making some of the right decisions,” Lembke said.

Ali said she is grateful her neighbor was there.

“I’m very lucky,” Ali said. “Caelob was more than willing to stay calm and do what needed to be done, and in a very scary situation.”

Jade and other neighbors also returned to Ali’s home to clean it while she was hospitalized for four days.

“They stepped in and stepped up and did all that, so I didn’t have to come home and relive it,” Ali said.

Ali, a faithful woman, tells me she believes a higher power was watching over.

“I’m very blessed,” Ali said. “I do believe God was watching over me, and he sent someone. I believe he’s got big plans for Caelob, and everybody needs to know about him.”

With this life-saving experience behind him, Wilkins said he is planning a career in emergency response. He has already joined the Brighton Volunteer Fire Department.

“Eventually want to become a paramedic, so that’s the end goal,” Wilkins said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WKBW’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.

Houston City College Soars Past 100,000 Students — and Houston’s Future Just Got Brighter

By Francis Page Jr.

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    June 26, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — In a city that measures ambition by skyline cranes, championship dreams, and the speed of traffic on the Katy Freeway, Houston City College has delivered a milestone worthy of a standing ovation: HCC has surpassed 100,000 enrolled students — its largest enrollment level since 2019.

That is not just a number. That is a citywide vote of confidence. From working parents returning to school, to high school students earning dual credit, to first-generation scholars, future nurses, coders, welders, entrepreneurs, educators, and dreamers who refuse to sit still, Houston City College has once again proven why it remains one of the most important engines of opportunity in Greater Houston.

As a proud media partner, Houston Style Magazine joins the celebration with heartfelt congratulations to the HCC Board of Trustees, Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D., faculty, staff, students, partners, alumni, and community supporters who helped make this historic achievement possible. The milestone reflects more than institutional growth. It reflects the daily, often unseen work of advisors, instructors, enrollment teams, financial aid counselors, administrators, and campus leaders who meet students where they are and help move them toward where they are called to be.

photo Houston City College Kristina Perez and Dr. Butch Herod Joanne King

Houston City College, formerly Houston Community College, entered a new era in 2025 with a refreshed name and brand identity designed to reflect the institution’s expanding role in a fast-changing city. Still, the heart of HCC remains beautifully familiar: access, affordability, workforce readiness, academic excellence, and a deep belief that talent is everywhere — even when opportunity has not always been evenly distributed.

And Houston has responded.

With more than 300 degrees, certificates, and credential offerings, HCC continues to serve as a powerful bridge between aspiration and achievement. Whether a student wants to transfer to a university, earn an associate degree, complete a certificate, start a new career, or upgrade skills for the modern economy, HCC has built pathways that are practical, flexible, and deeply connected to real-world opportunity.

The college’s expanding baccalaureate degree offerings further underscore its forward momentum. Programs such as Artificial Intelligence & Robotics are preparing students for high-demand fields that are reshaping industries from cybersecurity and manufacturing to healthcare, data analytics, automation, and intelligent business systems. In plain Houston terms: HCC is not just keeping up with the future — it is helping train the people who will build it.

photo Houston City College Leadership and Board Members at the Bloomberg

The timing could not be more important. Houston’s economy is growing, diversifying, and demanding a workforce ready for the next generation of jobs. HCC is answering that call with bold partnerships and serious investment. In June 2026, the college announced Gulf Coast TradeUp Careers, a regional workforce transformation initiative supported by a $17 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The initiative is designed to expand skilled trades, registered apprenticeships, employer engagement, and student access across Greater Houston and the Gulf Coast.

That investment — the largest ever received by HCC, according to the college — aims to serve more than 1,350 career and technical education students over three years. It also strengthens Houston’s pipeline into high-wage, family-sustaining careers in sectors such as construction, energy, manufacturing, transportation, and infrastructure. In other words, while some institutions talk about workforce development, HCC is putting hard hats, laptops, lab coats, and opportunity maps into students’ hands.

At the center of this momentum is Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher, whose decades-long HCC journey reflects the power of steady leadership and student-centered vision. Since joining HCC in 1985, she has helped expand access to education across campuses, online platforms, and workforce pathways. Today, as HCC’s ninth chancellor, she leads a seven-college organization serving students across 22 locations in Greater Houston — and now, with enrollment again crossing 100,000, the mission feels even more urgent and inspiring.

This achievement belongs to every student who clicked “apply,” every parent who prayed over tuition, every professor who stayed after class, every staff member who answered one more question, and every trustee and community partner who believed Houston deserves a college system as big-hearted and hardworking as the city itself.

photo

Houston City College has crossed 100,000 students. But the real story is not simply how many students walked through the door. The real story is how many futures are now walking forward.

Congratulations, HCC. Houston sees you. Houston salutes you. And Houston Style Magazine proudly celebrates this milestone with you.

For more information on programs, enrollment, financial aid, campus locations, and degree options, visit the official Houston City College website: HCCS.edu

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.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
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Harris Health’s 2026 Summer Junior Volunteer Program Plants Seeds for Houston’s Future Healthcare Heroes

By Francis Page Jr.

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    June 26, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — HOUSTON — Before some students ever slip on a white coat, place a stethoscope around their neck, or learn how to pronounce “ophthalmology” without blinking, Harris Health is giving them something even more powerful: a front-row seat to service.

This summer, Harris Health welcomed 145 Summer Junior Volunteers, a spirited class of young people ages 14 to 17 who are choosing compassion over couch time and purpose over endless scrolling. Through a six-week program requiring more than 60 hours of service, these future healthcare heroes are gaining meaningful, hands-on experience while supporting patients, visitors, staff, and communities across Harris County.

photo

For Houston Style Magazine readers, this is more than a feel-good summer story. It is a glimpse into the future of healthcare equity, civic service, and workforce development in one of America’s most diverse regions.

Harris Health, established in 1966 as the public healthcare safety-net provider for Harris County, has long stood at the intersection of healing and hope. Its hospitals, clinics, and outpatient centers serve residents from every walk of life, making the system not only a medical institution but a living classroom in humanity. In 2026, as Harris Health continues marking six decades of service, its Junior Volunteer Program reminds us that legacy is not only built by doctors, nurses, and administrators. Sometimes, it begins with a teenager offering directions, a friendly smile, or a helping hand at just the right moment.

The program began in mid-June and runs through late July, placing students in real healthcare environments at Harris Health facilities including Ambulatory Care Services outpatient clinics, Ben Taub Hospital and Ben Taub Tower, and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and The Outpatient Center. Depending on their site, volunteers serve in patient navigation, concierge services, administrative support, specialty clinic assistance, guest transportation, Food Farmacy support, radiology-related areas, supply chain, and other hospital or clinic assignments.

That means these students are not simply watching healthcare happen from a distance. They are learning how care feels from the inside.

At Ambulatory Care Services locations across Harris County, junior volunteers may greet patients and visitors, answer questions, help guests navigate appointments, assist with patient reminder calls, and support access to the Harris Health MyHealth portal. At Ben Taub, located in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, students rotate through specialty clinic settings and may assist with patient navigation, phones, data entry, and observational learning. At LBJ Hospital, volunteers are welcomed as part of the LBJ family, with potential placements ranging from nursing units and concierge services to culinary medicine, pet therapy, and birthday club activities.

Now that is what we call a summer upgrade. The experience also includes opportunities beyond daily assignments, such as field trips, days of service, and enrichment activities designed to expose students to the broader healthcare landscape. These experiences help young people connect classroom curiosity to career possibility. For students considering medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, hospital administration, rehabilitation, dentistry, behavioral health, or community care, Harris Health is offering something no textbook can fully deliver: proximity to purpose.

Just as important, the program teaches professional habits early. Students must complete onboarding steps, medical clearance, online training, orientation, and site-specific expectations. In other words, this is not a summer drop-in club. It is a selective, structured opportunity that prepares young people to show up with responsibility, empathy, and excellence.

And Houston should applaud that loudly.

In a city where healthcare innovation and health disparities often live side by side, programs like this matter. They introduce young people to careers that serve communities. They create mentorship moments between professionals and students. They remind families that volunteering can open doors to confidence, leadership, and lifelong civic engagement.

For parents and students interested in next year’s program, Harris Health notes that applications are typically limited by location and accepted on a first-come basis. The 2026 application opened February 2 and quickly filled, a clear sign that Houston’s young people are eager to serve. Families should begin reviewing requirements early, including parent or guardian forms, immunization documentation, TB screening requirements, training, and orientation deadlines.

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Adults interested in giving back can also explore year-round Harris Health volunteer opportunities. Whether onsite or virtual, Harris Health continues to invite community members to support patients, visitors, and staff throughout the system.

This summer’s 145 Junior Volunteers are not just filling hours. They are filling hallways with kindness, clinics with courage, and hospitals with the hopeful sound of tomorrow walking in early.

For more information on the Harris Health Junior Volunteer Program, visit:harrishealth.org/give-hh/volunteer/Pages/summer-junior-volunteer-program.aspx For adult and year-round volunteer opportunities at Harris Health, visit:harrishealth.org/give/volunteer For Harris Health locations across Harris County, visit:harrishealth.org/locations/hhs

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.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

‘My heart is just so broken’: Aniah Blanchard’s mother honors her 26th birthday, reflects on legacy

By Ayron Lewallen

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    HOMEWOOD, Alabma (WVTM) — With a high-profile trial now behind them, Aniah Blanchard’s family is honoring what would have been her 26th birthday while carrying both grief and remembrance.

Blanchard would have turned 26 on Monday. She was kidnapped from an Auburn gas station in 2019 and later killed. Her remains were found a month later.

Earlier this year, Ibrahim Yazeed was convicted for her death and sentenced to life in prison.

For Blanchard’s mother, Angela Harris, the milestone is deeply personal. Harris said she was the same age when Aniah was born, and their birthdays are on the same day.

“My heart is just so broken,” Harris said. “It feels like I’m having a heart attack basically every second of the day. I miss her so bad.”

This year, instead of spending the birthday with friends and family at the Homewood Patriot Park, she returned to a restaurant where she and her daughter used to celebrate their birthdays together.

“On our birthday, she would always be like, ‘Mom, what do you want to do?’” Harris said. “She wanted me to be happy.”

Even with the conviction and sentence, Harris said the trial and sentencing forced her to relive the loss all over again—even though the sentence brought some relief.

“I’m happy with it,” Harris said of the sentence. “I know he’s not ever going to get out of jail to be able to hurt anybody else. And now, finally processing that, I’m okay.”

Still, Harris said days like her daughter’s birthday bring anger and heartbreak because Blanchard is no longer here. She said talking about her daughter helps her through even the toughest days.

“She was the sweetest, most caring, funny,” Harris said.

Harris believes Blanchard’s final act of courage—fighting to stay alive—will be part of her lasting legacy. She also said her daughter had long felt that something was going to happen to her, and that memory helped motivate Harris to push for Aniah’s Law, which she believes has made the world safer for others.

“Ultimately, yes, she did lose that fight, but she won because she saved so many other lives with Aniah’s Law, and that’s what she would have wanted,” Harris said. “She cared so much about people.”

Now, Harris said she and her son are working to honor Blanchard in new ways. The family is opening a food truck in her honor and expects it to open within two weeks. Harris also hopes to open a safety center for people who need help.

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.