Author: CNN Newsource

By Phil Taitt and WABC News Staff

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    EAST VILLAGE, New York (WABC) — An off-duty NYPD officer is recovering at the hospital after he was shoved onto the subway tracks during a dispute with a homeless man at an East Village subway station.

Police say it happened at the 3rd Avenue station at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old officer landed on the L subway line tracks after being allegedly pushed by 28-year-old Aaron Walker, who also fell onto the track bed.

Both men pulled themselves onto the platform and Walker fled on a train. He was arrested at the Union Square station.

Walker was charged with attempted murder, assault, attempted reckless endangerment, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct.

The off-duty officer was taken to Bellevue Hospital and was said to be stable.

The officer was assigned to United Nations General Assembly security and had just gone off duty.

Police say Walker has 28 prior arrests. He is awaiting arraignment.

According to the governor’s office, subway crime is down.

This past summer, crime was down 9% compared to last summer. And in August, specifically major crime on the subway was down 23%.

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By Felix Cortez

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    PRUNEDALE, Calif. (KSBW) — Ira Bastian, 86, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1991 murders of Prunedale restaurant owner George Smith and his mother-in-law, Eva Thompson, after DNA evidence linked him to the crime last month.

Smith’s daughter, only identified as Christine, expressed her feelings during the sentencing, saying, “I do not believe we owe Mr. Bastian any mercy.”

Christine recounted the brutal nature of the murders, stating, “I know how my dad died, I know how Eva died and I know that the reason they were murdered was for a few hundred dollars so that Mr. Bastian could buy crack.”

Bastian, who was an employee at Smith’s restaurant, stabbed the owner and his mother-in-law nearly a dozen times with a kitchen knife.

Judge Andrew Liu acknowledged the severity of the crime, saying, “I want to recognize that Mr. Bastian is a human being, but this was an extremely brutal murder of two innocent people who ran a nice family restaurant.”

Family members spoke about the victims, describing Smith as a decorated Army veteran who offered second chances by employing people and entertained guests at his restaurant with magic tricks.

Smith’s daughter shared the impact of her father’s murder, “When my dad was brutally murdered, my world seemed to come to an abrupt stop as my life had been changed forever at a time when I needed my dad for support and encouragement, he was brutally taken from me from us.”

The family waited 34 years for justice, and Judge Liu granted their request for life imprisonment without parole.

“His lack of remorse, and to show him the same lack of compassion for some of his victims, Mr. Bastian deserves to spend his final days in prison without family, without compassion, without mercy.”

“Even though there is that saying that justice delayed is justice denied, I see no injustice in imposing this sentence, I do hope it brings some much-needed closure to this longstanding pain,” added Smith’s daughter.

Despite the conviction, Bastian maintains his innocence, and his defense attorney has indicated that Bastian will file an appeal.

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By Mónica De Anda

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    LOS ANGELES, California (KABC) — Fans are questioning the dark inspiration behind singer D4vd’s work as the investigation continues into the death of a teenage girl who was found dead in the trunk of his car in Hollywood.

A previous interview with the singer on the “Zach Sang Show” podcast is sparking online conversation as he talks about his music.

“Meaning like you get into a friendship expecting it to end in a devastating, tragic, sad way so it can inspire art, but are you manifesting that…?” the singer was asked.

“I don’t know, I hope I’m not,” D4vd replied. “I look back to old songs like “Life’s A Dream” and all these songs I wrote in my closet… my sister’s closet in 2022. When I’m looking at my life in the past eight to nine months, I’m like woah. Like bro, these songs are soundtracking my life.”

The online discourse among fans comes as the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed the remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez were released to her family this week.

That could mean a cause of death has been determined but that information hasn’t been released.

The teen’s dismembered and decomposing body was found more than two weeks ago at a tow yard inside a Tesla registered to D4vd.

When asked about it during an on-set interview with ABC7’s Phillip Palmer Wednesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said he couldn’t share much about the ongoing investigation.

“We have a lot of resources dedicated to bringing it to a conclusion. But to go beyond what’s already been made public would be inappropriate,” McDonnell said.

As for speculations that the 20-year-old singer might’ve had a relationship with Hernandez, who would’ve turned 15 years old this month, the police chief said: “Whenever you investigate a homicide, the detectives look at all of the associated issues as well. In this case, that’s something that they would be looking at.”

Last week, investigators took a computer as they searched a Hollywood Hills home where D4vd stayed.

D4vd has since canceled the remainder of his tour as police investigate the teen’s death and any potential ties to the singer. He has not publicly commented on the case, nor has he been named as a suspect.

As he remains silent, his fans are loud online, critiquing his lyrics and music videos that feature gory imagery and themes.

One of his most popular songs is titled “Romantic Homicide.”

In the music video for “One More Dance,” it appears to show a blindfolded D4vd in a bloodied shirt standing by as two people put a body into the trunk of a car.

And the anime-style music video for his song “Rehab” depicts a girl’s arm being cut off.

Meanwhile, a verified GoFundMe account has raised more than $24,000 to help pay for Hernandez’s funeral services, which is set for Oct. 4.

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By Royale Da

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    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KOAT) — As Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated across New Mexico, one Albuquerque business is brewing more than just great coffee — it’s serving up a story of culture, community, and deep-rooted pride.

Paul Gallegos, founder and master roaster of Cutbow Coffee in the North Valley, has turned his passion for coffee into a tribute to his heritage.

Raised in Albuquerque’s South Valley, with family ties to Las Vegas, Wagon Mound, and Mora, Gallegos blends his cultural identity into every cup.

“I feel like I represent a culture and a state and a family who is very proud of their heritage,” he said.

Gallegos launched his roasting career in the late 1990s, starting in the Bay Area before returning home to New Mexico to open Cutbow Coffee. The café’s name is inspired by the cutbow trout — a hybrid fish found in northern New Mexico — symbolizing the blend of cultures that define the state.

For Gallegos, roasting is more than a trade — it’s a responsibility.

“I feel a great sense of responsibility to represent a rich and proud heritage,” he said.

Today, Cutbow Coffee is a local favorite, known not just for its quality brews but also for its welcoming atmosphere and community focus. Gallegos hopes to continue mentoring young roasters while preserving the traditions that shaped him. Cutbow Coffee is located on Rio Grande Boulevard, just north of I-40, in Albuquerque.

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By Carolina Estrada

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    SACRAMENTO COUNTY, California (KCRA) — Donna Ouchida, an 82-year-old from Sacramento County, lost $35,000 in a scam that began with a message asking her to verify a suspicious charge.

“I got this message that said, is this 200 and something dollars charge yours? If not, call this number,” Ouchida said.

Just a week earlier, one of her credit cards had been compromised, so she called the number.

On the other end, a man claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury warned her that her identity had been stolen.

“That credit cards had been opened in my name all over the world and I got scared,” Ouchida said.

Then he sent a warrant, supposedly for her arrest.

“They said we need you to show you’re not laundering money,” she said.

To prove her innocence, she was told to send $50,000 in cash.

After arranging with her bank, she withdrew $15,000.

The man kept texting, giving her detailed instructions on how to ship the money, including hiding it in a box with toys so it looked like a gift.

“Then we had to withdraw more money for the second payout,” she said.

This time, $20,000 were picked up in person, and surveillance cameras captured an image of a car believed to be involved.

“I wasn’t allowed to talk to the person, except ask their name and password,” Ouchida said.

Finally, the scammer asked for a third payment.

“That’s when things started to seem suspicious,” she said.

She told her family, who helped intercept the package that contained nearly $18,000.

“He was so concerned they’d come back—that they’d come to my house,” Ouchida said.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating.

Sgt. Amar Gandhi said cases like this are common.

“They’ll use everything—from promises of riches to straight-out fear tactics,” Gandhi said.

Financial scams targeting seniors are on the rise, and the numbers are staggering.

The FBI says in 2024 alone, Californians lost more than $832 million to fraud.

Back in August, KCRA 3 covered a similar case—a woman who lost her life savings of $30,000. It’s what motivated Ouchida to share her story—to warn others.

“It’s really terrible. I know I should’ve known better,” Ouchida said. “If you see a phone number you don’t recognize, don’t answer it.”

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By Gino Vicci

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    DEARBORN, Michigan (WWJ) — A contentious battle is brewing in Dearborn, Michigan, over a mosque’s use of an outdoor loudspeaker for its call to prayer.

One resident spoke at Tuesday’s city council meeting, presenting a signed petition over the speaker at the Dearborn Community Center on Schaefer Road.

Andrea Unger cited a city ordinance, which states that people are prohibited from creating “the continuance of any unreasonably loud, disturbing, unusual or unnecessary noise which annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others within the limits of the city.”

“The mosques in East Dearborn are at times waking us up at 5:30 a.m. with a call to prayer and, at other times, forcing us to listen to the prayer in our yard and in our own home,” Unger said in the meeting.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Council President Mike Sareini said police investigated and gathered decibel tests from certain mosques. Sareini said the city has found instances of a mosque violating the city ordinance.

Sareini said the board is awaiting the police’s report before any action can be taken.

“We’re trying to get a handle on it, and it’s not legal, nor do we support it,” Sareini said.

Nabeel Bahalwan, director of the Dearborn Community Center, says there has been an ongoing complaint from a small group of residents, and he insists no rules are being broken. Bahalwan says police visited his site and informed him that he was within the allowable noise limit.

“This is crazy. We don’t wanna bother anybody,” Bahalwan told CBS News Detroit. “The city came in, the inspector, and there is a monitoring for the voice. We are even below the average of the rules.”

A call to prayer is a call for people of a specific faith to gather for worship. The Dearborn Community Center has a prayer schedule on its website, which occurs five times a day.

Under the city’s ordinance, intermittent noise is any noise that “goes on and off during a course of measurement of at least five minutes, but which exceeds ten seconds in duration each time it is on.

According to the city ordinance, 55 decibels is considered intermittent noise for a residential area at nighttime (between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.), whereas 60 decibels is considered intermittent during the day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.). In commercial areas, 60 decibels are characterized as intermittent at night and 65 decibels during the day. Meanwhile, 70 decibels are labeled intermittent in industrial areas at night and 75 decibels during the day.

The ordinance also states that the use of loudspeakers is prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Bahalwan says he does not believe his mosque is violating any ordinance; however, he is concerned that some residents aren’t happy.

“We wanna keep our relationship with the neighbors peaceful. If they have any problems, they can talk to us,” he said.

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By Paula Wethington

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    Michigan (WWJ) — A live pipe bomb was discovered at a firearms range, then safely dismantled, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Michigan State Police said.

The pipe bomb was discovered and reported at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at a public firearms range off South Gaines Highway near Shortcut Road in Chippewa County’s Kinross Township.

After troopers from the Sault Ste. Marie Post arrived, they requested assistance from the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad. That team deployed a robot to get a closer look at the item and confirmed the device was live.

Troopers then safely rendered the device inert while it was on site.

The firearms range was closed temporarily for the emergency response and investigation, but has since reopened.

MSP asks that anyone who has information about the device contact the Sault Ste. Marie Post at 906-632-2217.

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