Author: CNN Newsource

By Amanda Roberts

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    COOKEVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — A 27-year-old Cookeville man is alive today because a CPR instructor happened to be in the right place at the right time during a medical emergency at a local TJ Maxx store.

Zach Porter collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest while shopping, with no memory of the terrifying incident that nearly claimed his life. Mike Brown, who was reluctantly accompanying his wife on a shopping trip, became Porter’s lifesaver when he performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

“I didn’t want to go TJ Maxx with my wife, but I did,” Brown said. “And at the last minute, I decided to go in to herd her out of there. And there he was on the ground.”

Brown, who not only knows CPR but teaches CPR courses, immediately sprang into action when he saw Porter unconscious on the floor.

“It was just kind of surreal to be honest with you because nobody was really doing anything except trying to get his attention,” Brown said. “And so I just ran up and started doing CPR.”

The intervention proved crucial for Porter, who spent 10 days in the ICU at Vanderbilt University Medical Center recovering from the cardiac event.

“I just woke up at Vanderbilt, just very confused,” Porter said. “I’m just really glad that Mike was here to help out. Otherwise, I’d be in a lot worse shape than I am now.”

Doctors explained that scar tissue from Porter’s previous open heart surgeries created an electrical abnormality that short-circuited his heart, causing the sudden cardiac arrest.

“You know, the first thing I heard was your sternum crack,” Brown told Porter during their emotional reunion. “Really? Yeah, and I felt it. I was like, oh my gosh.”

Porter credits Brown with saving not just his life, but his brain function by keeping blood flowing during the critical moments before emergency responders arrived.

“I mean, he literally saved my brain, saved my life by just keeping my blood pumping, which is pretty great,” Porter said. “I’m super lucky and it could have happened anywhere.”

The two men, who were strangers before the incident, now share an unbreakable bond forged by the life-saving moment.

“I call it divine intervention, you know?” Brown said.

Both men hope their story will inspire others to learn CPR, emphasizing that anyone can be called upon to save a life in an emergency situation.

“Mostly just to learn CPR. I think is a great way to look at it, is know CPR,” Brown said.

Porter and his family are also seeking to thank an unidentified woman who assisted with chest compressions during the emergency. In the chaos of the moment, they were unable to get her contact information, but would like to express their gratitude for her help.

CPR certification lasts for two years and can be obtained through various organization,s including the American Red Cross and American Heart Association.

This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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By Gabrielle Harmon

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    NORFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — There’s a unique school in Norfolk that’s taking education on the road, literally — Solstice Hybrid Academy operates unlike any traditional school, offering year-round teaching to home schooled students where their classroom doubles as transportation to real-world learning experiences via fun-filled field trips.

“We’ve got all our stuff set up for our biome for this morning or this afternoon. We keep all of our students’ work stored up here,” said a representative showing the mobile classroom setup,” said Sarah Harrington, Founder of Solstice Hybrid Academy.

The academy’s founder, Sarah Harrington, is a teacher herself who understands the magic of hands-on learning.

“No other school actually has the classroom in the bus and then takes their students places,” said Harrington. “It’s very reminiscent of the Magic School Bus, Ms. Frizzle. You know, in the morning we’re learning about different things and then it’s like ‘buckle up everybody,'” she said.

The idea came to Harrington after the COVID-19 pandemic when she was helping to teach her son, niece and nephew. She realized then, effective education could happen outside traditional four walls.

“I think that I want to do field trips every day, recalled Harrington. ” Like I think I want to take a group of kids out on field trips every day to experience this amazing city, this amazing world.”

The school launched with just four students and has grown to serve 20 students. With hopes of one day expanding to another bus and adding more teachers assistance.

“This is definitely a labor of love. I don’t charge a whole lot for tuition. My whole thing is I want to have this experience. This is something I’m really passionate about,” said Harrington.

The mobile classroom provides everything students need for safe and successful learning while offering experiences Harrington hopes will stay with them long after graduation.

“My biggest goal is to help students find what drives them to learn and create new things and make change.”

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

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By Paul Burton

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — Red Sox fans were surprised to arrive at Fenway Park and discover that the tickets they had on the MLB Ballpark app had disappeared and been resold without their permission.

Nancy Morrisroe has been a season ticket holder with her friend since 2007. She said that at this game she had been using her friend’s seat and that the app had her tickets, but when she arrived, the tickets were gone. She immediately called her friend.

“I said, ‘Can you recall them and forward them back to me?’ He said, ‘There is no recall button; it shows I forwarded them to you,'” Morrisroe said. She said that her husband heard other people at the ballpark talking about the same issue.

Red Sox tickets gone from MLB Ballpark app

MLB said it had received several reports of fans arriving at games and saying that their tickets had been resold out from under them. The MLB received widespread reports of significant data breaches on other popular platforms, but there was no evidence of a breach of its systems. They did issue an apology to fans.

“Bad actors then have utilized leaked or stolen credentials from other websites in efforts to access the accounts of MLB fans. We are working tirelessly to address this matter and protect our fans,” the MLB said in a statement.

The MLB recommends that fans reset their passwords to something new and unique to the app, but that’s not enough for fans. Morrisroe said that the app needs two-factor authentication.

“I finally was able to delete the ballpark app, reinstalled it. Created a brand-new password between the Pittsburgh and Yankee game, and I lost my ticket. It’s still gone. It was still gone. It’s not a password issue. There needs to be some sort of safeguard in place,” she said.

Morrisroe says she misses the days of paper tickets.

“Oh my goodness, I loved getting those tickets,” she smiled.

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By Wakisha Bailey

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    Pennsylvania (KYW) — Halloween is coming early in one Coatesville neighborhood, thanks to the imagination of 16-year-old Joseph Venziale.

Joseph has transformed his family’s basement into The Venziale Manor, a one-of-a-kind haunted hotel complete with thunder, flickering lights, and spine-tingling details.

“We are still working, we are still building, painting,” Joseph said. “I’ve been doing this since May.”

From an old Hollywood-style lobby to a luggage room where guests “check in” for their final stay, every corner has been designed by Joseph himself. He scouts props year-round and dreams up new attractions each season.

Last year, visitors faced a backyard clown tent. This year, he’s adding a ballroom with custom moving mannequins, plus his biggest challenge yet, a speakeasy-style cocktail lounge.

“We built little boxes behind the walls with cutouts for the windows,” Joseph said.

Behind the scenes, Joseph’s parents and grandparents help build sets and costumes, while his friends take on the roles of 17 different actors.

“I always like to improve what I’m doing,” Joseph said. “Not only for myself but for everyone to enjoy.”

For the first time, the Venziale Manor is open to the public on Oct. 24 and 25. Tickets are just $5, with all proceeds benefiting The Spirit of Children.

From creepy elevators to stormy welcomes, Joseph’s haunted hotel is proof that sometimes the scariest places come from the most creative hearts.

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By Web Staff

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    Hampton, VA (WTKR) — A person was killed and two more were hurt in a stabbing incident Friday night near the Hampton Coliseum during a Phish performance, police said.

In a release put out Saturday, Hampton police described this as an “isolated incident.” They added that all parties involved were identified. Hampton police said a person of interest who fled the scene was found and detained nearby — police have yet to confirm whether this is the suspect in connection with this incident.

An increased police presence is expected to be near the Hampton Coliseum as Phish continues the next two shows for their three-night event, according to Hampton police

Phish said they are “deeply saddened” by the incident in a post made on Facebook.

Police say around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, an argument between several people led to a large, violent altercation that left three people injured. One was taken to the hospital where they died; the second person was taken to the hospital — a third walked into the hospital with a laceration.

Hampton police told WTKR News 3 on Saturday that this incident happened near an unofficial merchandise booth in a parking lot outside the Hampton Coliseum. Video captured by WTKR News 3 on Friday did show police tape roping off this area.

This investigation is ongoing — Hampton police say they are continuing to interview witnesses so they can figure out next steps.

WTKR has reached out to police and will update this article as new information comes in about the investigation.

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By Itay Hod

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — On a quiet San Francisco street, a plain white billboard seemed to appear out of nowhere. No logo, no tagline, just five strings of numbers. Was it an ad? An art project? Or something else entirely?

“It was a moment of desperation,” he said.

Alfred Wahlforss, cofounder and CEO of a small startup called Listen Labs, had a big problem: how to compete for artificial intelligence engineers against Silicon Valley giants.

“We’re hiring over 100 people over the next few months and there are empty spots, but we can’t fill them because Mark Zuckerberg is giving $100 million offers to the best engineers,” he said.

So they did something off the wall, spending a fifth of their marketing budget, about $5,000, on a billboard.

To most, it looked like gibberish. To the right eyes, a coding challenge. Solve it and you land on a website and face the real test, build an algorithm to act as a digital bouncer at Berghain, the Berlin nightclub famed for its nearly impossible door policy.

Quirky, sure? But for Listen Labs, the bouncer challenge was a metaphor for their own work, using AI to decide who gets interviewed for market research and who doesn’t.

They expected a few engineers might notice. Then someone posted it online and the puzzle went viral.

“Were you surprised by the reaction? It was wild,” he said.

Within days, thousands took a shot. 430 have cracked it, among them Alex Nicita, a software consultant from New York.

“It was very fun to go through, solve the challenge and reach the top of the leader board,” he said.

Now he’s in the interview round, and yes, some of these code breakers have already been hired.

In the end, 60 people made the cut, including the winner who scored a night at Berghain, all expenses paid.

“It’s a reminder to take risks and do something unique and different and extra extraordinary things happen,” Wahlforss said.

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