Hit-and-run driver sought after elote vendor was struck

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Jose Luis Verduzco

Click here for updates on this story

    BAKERSFIELD, California (KERO) — Authorities are searching for the driver of a pickup truck who struck a mother selling elotes near a FoodMaxx parking lot and fled the scene without stopping to help.

Silvia Soto, 46, was struck just before midnight on Friday, Sept. 11, near the FoodMaxx parking lot on Niles Street, according to the California Highway Patrol. Investigators say the driver of a 1990s-era pickup truck fled before officers arrived. Soto remains hospitalized after undergoing surgery.

Her daughter, Esmeralda Morales, says Soto spent countless hours selling corn on the cob to provide for her four children, sometimes staying out until midnight to earn extra money for the family.

“My mom is a very great person. She’s always selling day and night to make money for us,” Morales said.

Morales says she had no idea what had happened until she woke up the following morning.

“I saw my grandma in my room. And then she had a face of devastation…and she’s like, ‘Mija, I don’t know how you’re gonna take this, but your mom’s in the hospital.’ And I got scared. I started crying,” Morales said.

Morales took me to the spot where she says the crash happened. Tire marks are still visible on the roadway, which she believes were left behind the night her mother was hit and seriously injured.

She says the family is feeling the impact of Soto’s absence not only emotionally, but financially as well.

“It’s been pretty hard on my family since she’s the breadwinner. She paid mostly everything…and it feels pretty empty in the house without her,” Morales said.

Days after the crash, the driver has still not been identified. Morales has a message for the person who left her mother in the road.

“I hope you turn yourself in. We’re going to get justice for my mom because she didn’t deserve none of that,” Morales said.

Anyone with information on this incident can call CHP at 396-6600.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KERO 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.

Residents question why Flock cameras remain up more than a month after contract cancellation

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Josh Kristianto

Click here for updates on this story

    SURPRISE, Arizona (KNXV) — More than a month after the City of Surprise terminated its contract with Flock Safety and directed the company to remove its network of automated license plate reader cameras, many of the devices remain standing throughout the city.

The lingering presence of the cameras has frustrated some residents who believed the technology would be removed shortly after the city ended the agreement.

A drive through Surprise still reveals dozens of the cameras mounted on poles at intersections and along major roadways.

For residents like Jim Ellis, that raises concerns about whether the cameras could still be collecting information.

“We’ve heard stories around the country where these contracts have been canceled and, unfortunately, they’re still being used, and they’re still capturing data and pictures of vehicles,” Ellis said.

The City of Surprise canceled its contract with Flock Safety on Aug. 13 and requested that all company-owned cameras be removed from within city limits.

According to city officials, the city has since followed up with Flock seeking a more specific timeline for removal. The company has informed the city that it is still working on determining a removal date.

For some residents, the delay has become a concern of its own.

“I still would like to see the city bag these up until Flock can remove them permanently from the city,” Ellis said.

Ellis has been one of the most vocal critics of license plate reader technology in the area.

He says his concerns stem from a personal experience last year when he was questioned after El Mirage police allegedly connected his vehicle to a hit-and-run investigation using information gathered through the Flock system.

“It made me feel really uncomfortable, it really did,” Ellis said. “It made me feel like my privacy was invaded considering I didn’t do anything wrong.”

The ongoing debate reflects broader concerns about automated license plate reader systems, which capture images of vehicles and record license plate data to assist law enforcement investigations.

Supporters argue the technology helps solve crimes and locate suspects. Critics say it creates significant privacy concerns and carries the risk of misuse.

Unlike Tempe, which covered cameras during its transition away from Flock technology, Surprise officials say they currently have no plans to place coverings over the remaining cameras while awaiting removal.

ABC15 reached out to Flock Safety multiple times seeking comment and a timeline for removal but did not receive a response.

Before the contract was canceled, Surprise police said the cameras had contributed to investigations involving serious crimes, including homicides, robberies and carjackings.

Still, some residents argue those benefits do not outweigh concerns about privacy and accountability.

“There’s a lot of things that would be good if they weren’t abused,” said Waddell resident Gary Jahneke.

For now, the cameras remain visible across Surprise as residents wait for a clearer answer on when they will finally come down.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KNXV 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.

California first responders urge Newsom to sign bill lowering retirement age, boosting pensions

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Darrielle Fair

Click here for updates on this story

    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — California firefighters, police officers and other public safety employees rallied at the state Capitol this week, urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign legislation that supporters say would allow first responders to retire earlier and improve their retirement benefits.

Assembly Bill 1383 is now on Newsom’s desk after passing through the Legislature. The governor has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto bills that reached his desk during the legislative session.

Anthony Gamble, director of the Sacramento Police Officers Association and a Sacramento police sergeant, joined other public safety groups at the rally.

“Every time an officer puts on a uniform and they go out into the streets to protect the community, there is a likelihood, there’s a chance, whatever that number may be, that they don’t come home,” Gamble said.

Gamble, who has spent 10 years in local law enforcement, said the demands of public safety careers make retirement benefits an important part of recruiting and retaining officers.

“We’re asking our first responders, police and fire, to do a very dangerous job, a high-stress job for a long period of time. We’re talking 25, 30 years,” he said.

The bill would change retirement provisions for certain public safety employees covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

Among its provisions, AB 1383 would lower the age at which certain safety employees could receive a 3% at 55 retirement formula from 57 to 55.

It also increases the cap for how much high-earning employees can receive from their pensions.

“Those two years can be very instrumental,” Gamble said. “Two more years with their family, two more years to be with their kids, two more years to be with their spouses or their brothers or sisters.”

Supporters argue the legislation could also help make public safety careers more attractive to prospective employees at a time when agencies across California are focused on recruitment and retention.

“We want people with good hearts to get into this profession that are doing it for the right reasons, but we have to make it an attractive profession for people to want to get into as well,” Gamble said. “So this is another tool for that.”

AB 1383 has also drawn opposition from local government groups, which argue the changes could significantly increase pension costs for public agencies.

The California State Association of Counties has opposed the measure, citing its potential fiscal impact. Ben Adler, the organization’s director of public affairs, said the increased costs could ultimately affect other public services.

“This bill is just too expensive,” Adler said. “It’s projected to raise costs by up to $7.5 billion a year, perhaps even more if it is signed.”

Adler said those additional costs could put pressure on the budgets of cities, counties, schools and the state, potentially affecting public-sector jobs and services.

The Newsom administration’s Department of Finance has also opposed the legislation because of its projected costs.

Newsom has not indicated whether he plans to sign AB 1383. His office has said the governor generally does not comment on legislation while it is still pending.

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.

Dying sea birds washing ashore in Bay Area due to effects of warming ocean

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By John Ramos

Click here for updates on this story

    FAIRFIELD, California (KPIX) — Visitors to Bay Area beaches are starting to see a disturbing sight: dead and dying seabirds. They’re called murres, and wildlife rescuers are scrambling to try to save them as they fall victim to a rapidly warming ocean.

At the International Bird Rescue hospital in Fairfield, they’ve received more than 100 in just the last few days.

“So, these are chicks from this year,” said Dr. Rebecca Duerr, pulling back the cover of an enclosure. “Right now, they’re sitting with some nice, warm, dry air, because they just went for a swim and they’re working on their waterproofing.”

Most of the murres brought to the center are starving, some at half their normal body weight. When that happens, they lose the ability to regrow feathers, destroying the waterproofing that keeps them warm. Dr. Duerr, Director of Veterinary Science, said that often leads to organ failure and, eventually, death.

“So, some of them are definitely not making it,” she said. “But we do supportive care on the ones that we get, and we have a certain portion of them that will survive.”

The birds, which resemble tiny penguins, are starving because the water has warmed, increasing the metabolism of predator fish, making them hungrier. That puts them in competition with the murres who can dive to depths of 300 feet to hunt. The current pool of warm water along California is reminiscent of what scientists called “The Blob” back in 2014.

“Most heat waves come and go within a few weeks, maybe a few months. This one was different. It hung around for two years,” said US Fish and Wildlife researcher Heather Renner. “And over the course of those two years, it really changed the marine ecosystem in ways that we’re only now beginning to understand.”

An estimated four million birds died in Alaska alone, about half the state’s murre population. It was considered the largest die-off of any warm-blooded creature ever recorded. And because murres only lay one egg a year, the species has been slow to recover. Scientists say the birds found on the beach are only a tiny fraction of the actual death count. But those who can be treated and released actually do quite well.

So, the rescuers consider it a win each time they can release a murre back into the wild.

“These guys really are a window into what’s going on in the ocean. And we try to think of them that way,” said Dr. Duerr. “And, you know, getting those animals out there back to have a second chance in the wild is really what our work is all about.”

Currently, most of the center’s birds have come from the Santa Cruz area, but the problem can be found along the entire West Coast. Dr. Duerr recommends that anyone finding a sick or lethargic bird on the beach, can gently wrap it in a towel or sweatshirt and take it immediately to a local wildlife hospital.

She said it may be its only chance for survival.

The International Bird Rescue says whenever they get a large influx of new patients, their food bill can skyrocket. They’re asking the public for help with this one.

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.

Remembering reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, both killed in NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Julie Sharp, Brittney Ermon, Michele Gile

Click here for updates on this story

    CHATSWORTH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw had worked together for the last three years, and on Tuesday night, the two were on assignment for NBCLA and Telemundo 52 when their news helicopter crashed, and they both died.

They were covering a deadly bus crash in Chatsworth just blocks away, hovering over the scene when something, still unknown, went terribly wrong.

NTSB investigator-in-charge Fabian Salazar called the crash an “accident” in Wednesday’s news conference and would not speculate on what could have caused the helicopter to drop, as an investigation is in preliminary stages.

Marciniw grew up in Southern California and had been a pilot for decades, covering some of LA’s defining moments from the sky—from wildfires to police pursuits.

He was also an instructor, teaching pilots how to fly. At the airport, fellow pilot Esteban Jimenez reflected on their final moments.

“He was always cool. I’ve never met anybody that disliked them. I feel there’s so many things I could have said to him over the weekend when we were talking about flying,” he said.

But Marciniw’s impact reached beyond the cockpit and people who knew him outside of work, they say he will be deeply missed.

“He was always the first to say hi and be kind to my kids and to us,” neighbor Brea Angelo said. “He was always, like, working on his lawn, and he came over for barbecues.”

She said her kids called their neighbor Mr. George, and for her family in Burbank, his friendship was a gift.

At the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Los Angeles, they are remembering a longtime parishioner with a heart of gold.

“Every time you come to church, you just can see that smile was just so bright, you know. Such a kind heart, kind person. It’s a great loss,” Pastor Ihor Koshyk said of Marciniw.

Moreno, 38, was born in Orange County, graduated from Chapman University in 2010, and realized her dream of working in news.

She joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010 and reported for several Southern California media outlets. The NewsChopper4 helicopter is owned and operated by Angel City Air.

Moreno went by “eli in the heli” on Instagram, where she called herself a dog and chicken mom, a Chapman University alum, and engaged.

Even in elementary school, Moreno knew she would be a reporter, and for the last 16 years, the helicopter reporter and photographer brought some of the most important television news stories to Southern California.

In a Chapman University video, Moreno credits the college and Professor Pete Weitzner for her success.

“From freshman year to senior year, just everything that I am doing now, somehow he has his hand in that,” Moreno said in the video.

Weitzner said Moreno’s goal was to work in her hometown television market, and she reported from the helicopters at CBSLA and, most recently, Telemundo 52 and NBCLA.

“Eliana was fearless and loved that she was not only reporting, but she was the camera person and editor. The more the better,” Weitzner said.

“Not too many people can be bilingual, helicopter skills — Eliana Moreno, so she knew that, right? She’s smart and she loved it.”

A third person died at the helicopter crash site, 29-year-old Edy Guitierrez Mejia. He was on the ground in the parking lot where the chopper dropped.

On Wednesday, the NTSB and the FAA were at the accident site, gathering factual data. Salazar said the NBCLA helicopter was capturing live footage when the crash occurred. He called that video the “most important evidence” so far.

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 Theater Week Delivers Nearly $7 Million in 5 Years for Local Performing Arts

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

Click here for updates on this story

    September 17, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — HOUSTON — Somebody cue the standing ovation.

Five years after the curtain first rose on Houston Theater Week, the citywide arts initiative has grown from an ambitious post-pandemic idea into one of Houston’s most successful annual celebrations of live performance—generating nearly $7 million for local performing arts organizations since 2022.

The 2026 edition of Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank, organized by Houston First Corporation in partnership with the Houston Theater District and participating arts organizations, delivered another blockbuster performance of its own.

Nearly 42,000 tickets were sold for more than 400 live shows, producing more than $2 million in ticket revenue during the week-long promotion. Twenty-one organizations participated, offering audiences everything from theater and opera to ballet, contemporary dance, chamber music, symphonic performances and innovative new productions.

That is a long way from opening night in 2022.

The inaugural Houston Theater Week sold 17,594 tickets to 107 shows, generating $572,223. By 2023, revenues had climbed to roughly $868,000. In 2024, more than 32,000 tickets generated nearly $1.4 million. Then came 2025, when more than 43,000 tickets pushed revenues above $2 million for the first time.

In other words, Houston did not simply buy tickets. Houston built an audience.

“Reaching its fifth year is an important milestone for Houston Theater Week and a testament to the event’s growing impact,” said Michael Heckman, President and CEO of Houston First.

Heckman emphasized that the initiative has become about much more than discounted admission. Early sellouts showed strong public enthusiasm while introducing residents and visitors to the extraordinary range of cultural experiences available throughout Greater Houston.

And Houston has quite a stage on which to perform. The Houston Theater District describes itself as home to the nation’s second-largest concentration of world-class performing arts venues, including Alley Theatre, the Hobby Center, Jones Hall and Wortham Theater Center.

Yet one of Theater Week’s strengths is that the spotlight extends well beyond the largest institutions.

The 2026 lineup included 4th Wall Theatre Company, Alley Theatre, Apollo Chamber Players, Ars Lyrica Houston, Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre, Chamber Music Houston, DACAMERA, Houston Ballet, Houston Contemporary Dance Company, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Masterworks Chorus, Houston Symphony, Main Street Theater, Mercury Chamber Orchestra, Performing Arts Houston, ROCO, Stages, Tee Zee Productions, The Ensemble Theatre, The Hobby Center and Theatre Under The Stars.

That mixture of internationally recognized institutions, established local companies and smaller artistic organizations is important because Theater Week serves two audiences at once: longtime arts supporters and Houstonians walking through a theater door for the very first time.

“Our performing arts organizations of all sizes welcomed thousands of new faces into their venues,” said Meg Booth, Board Chair of the Houston Theater District, adding that the goal is to break down barriers and make live performing arts more accessible.

That accessibility may ultimately be Houston Theater Week’s biggest encore.

Buy-One-Get-One-Free offers get people through the doors. But once audiences experience the orchestra warming up, the curtain rising, dancers taking flight or actors turning a quiet stage into another world, a bargain ticket can become a lifelong relationship with the arts.

Five years, nearly $7 million and tens of thousands of seats later, Houston Theater Week has demonstrated something wonderfully Houston: when culture becomes more accessible, the audience gets bigger—and the entire arts community gets stronger.

For official Houston Theater Week results and future announcements, visit Houston First and the Houston Theater District. Houston First — Houston Theater Week 2026 results Houston Theater District

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
3465287733

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Would you support a moratorium on data centers?

KMIZ on September 17, 2026

Matthew Sanders

Opposition to new data centers is getting a lot of attention.

That includes Wednesday, when scores of anti-data center protesters filled the Missouri Capitol Rotunda, then took to the streets around the building for a march. One of the stops was next to the Governor’s Mansion.

The protesters’ big demand is a moratorium on data center development in Missouri until regulators can hammer out some rules for their construction and operation.

Would you support such a moratorium? Let us know by voting in the poll.

Click here to follow the original article.

ICE agent accused of lying about north Minneapolis shooting booked into Hennepin County Jail

CNN on September 17, 2026

WCCO

By WCCO Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with lying about the circumstances leading up to his shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge is now in the Hennepin County Jail.

Christian Castro, 52, pleaded not guilty to six federal counts of making false statements to investigators.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it arrested Castro around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Second Avenue South and Third Street in Minneapolis. He was booked into the Hennepin County Jail on an active warrant.

Castro, who has been suspended without pay by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was released from custody in late August after Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant to Minnesota.

“Gov. Abbott’s attempt to shield Mr. Castro from accountability has failed. We look forward to commencing our prosecution,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement Wednesday.

A judge in McAllen, Texas, had ordered Castro released on a $75,000 bond and told him to wear a GPS ankle monitor.

Charges allege Castro was working with his partner on Jan. 14 and pursued a then-26-year-old Venezuelan citizen on foot in front of a north Minneapolis duplex. Julio Sosa-Celis came out to help during the struggle.

The documents say the two men ran back inside the duplex and Castro fired a single shot through the door, striking Sosa-Celis in the foot. There were multiple people, including two children, in the home at the time. Surveillance video threw Castro’s account of the encounter into doubt.

Castro is scheduled to make his first appearance in state court on Thursday. He is expected in Minnesota federal court on Friday afternoon.

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.

ICE agent accused of lying about north Minneapolis shooting booked into Hennepin County Jail

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By WCCO Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with lying about the circumstances leading up to his shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge is now in the Hennepin County Jail.

Christian Castro, 52, pleaded not guilty to six federal counts of making false statements to investigators.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it arrested Castro around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Second Avenue South and Third Street in Minneapolis. He was booked into the Hennepin County Jail on an active warrant.

Castro, who has been suspended without pay by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was released from custody in late August after Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant to Minnesota.

“Gov. Abbott’s attempt to shield Mr. Castro from accountability has failed. We look forward to commencing our prosecution,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement Wednesday.

A judge in McAllen, Texas, had ordered Castro released on a $75,000 bond and told him to wear a GPS ankle monitor.

Charges allege Castro was working with his partner on Jan. 14 and pursued a then-26-year-old Venezuelan citizen on foot in front of a north Minneapolis duplex. Julio Sosa-Celis came out to help during the struggle.

The documents say the two men ran back inside the duplex and Castro fired a single shot through the door, striking Sosa-Celis in the foot. There were multiple people, including two children, in the home at the time. Surveillance video threw Castro’s account of the encounter into doubt.

Castro is scheduled to make his first appearance in state court on Thursday. He is expected in Minnesota federal court on Friday afternoon.

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.

Twin Cities doctor paralyzed in mountain fall returns to practicing medicine nearly 2 years later

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Ubah Ali

Click here for updates on this story

    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — A Twin Cities physician who has spent the last two years learning to live with a life-changing injury is making a remarkable recovery.

Dr. Shirlee Xie’s return follows a devastating fall from a mountain while hiking in Switzerland that left her paralyzed from the chest down.

When WCCO first met Xie at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in late 2024, transferring from her wheelchair to the bed was difficult.

“I think every moment of life I’ve had to relearn how to do things differently,” Xie said.

Over time, she got stronger both mentally and physically, all while working towards one goal: getting back to caring for patients at Hennepin Healthcare.

This year, that has become a reality.

“It feels very strange to put on a white coat again and see patients and introduce myself as Dr. Xie,” she said.

Her shared office is bright, filled with pictures of her family. But there is one striking reminder of how much time has passed. The calendar is still marked 2024.

While there’s excitement, she said returning to the hospital came with its own questions. She worried about how patients might perceive her and what it means to practice medicine while navigating in a wheelchair.

“They don’t seem to mind, so I think it’s just, I put a lot of anxiety on that, but it was not necessary,” Xie said.

Still, she says her purpose has been the same since she was young: to care for people when they are at their most vulnerable. After two years of hard work and perseverance, she is back where she fought so hard to be.

“It feels like I’m reclaiming a piece of me that I thought was lost for a while,” Xie said.

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.