Author: CNN Newsource

By Luana Munoz

Click here for updates on this story

    DELTONA, Florida (WESH) — Sharon Wyker is a 77-year-old woman in Deltona battling a rare infectious disease called Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC) and doctors have only given her three months to live. With the help of her family, she’s now on a mission to plan an elaborate and very detailed celebration of life for herself.

“A flash mob. A video of me talking to them. One thousand people. I’m going to count,” Sharon said.

Her appetite for life has not slowed down.

Despite her diagnosis in 2014, Sharon was able to overcome the infection with antibiotics. However, the infection returned in 2021 and again this year.

This time, her body can’t handle the antibiotics.

“I’ve traveled to 22 countries, 20 states. I’m an adventurer. I’m a wonderer,” Wyker said.

Under the microscope, MAC looks like tuberculosis. However, it is slow moving and non-contagious. The disease is more common in people with underlying health conditions.

Dr. Jason Sniffen, an infectious disease specialist, says the bacteria lurks in everyday places including soil and water.

“They are waterborne, so exposure to things like a shower head, spas, hot tubs, even if these facilities are properly maintained,” Dr. Sniffen said.

Sharon worked in the mortgage industry and later as a toll collector, but her real passion is art.

“Then I went to college and learned in order to be famous, you have to be dead. All famous artists are dead. I was like, ‘Oh no, no, no,’” she said.

Sharon has hundreds of paintings and shares them with her followers.

While she may not be famous for now, she hopes people will remember her words of wisdom.

“If you are a dreamer of something that you are trying to get to, you have to believe your miracle and have no doubts and just keep going until you get there,” she said.

Like the stroke of her brush, she says the key to life is to, “go with the flow.”

Sharon says at the end of the video played during her funeral, she wants to sing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”

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 Marshall Keely

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — Four Confederate statues decommissioned nine years ago are being returned to Baltimore after spending months on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, sparking renewed debate about their future.

The statues, which include “Soldiers and Sailors,” “The Confederate Women of America,” “The Lee and Jackson Double Equestrian,” and the Roger B. Taney statue, were part of an exhibit called “Monuments.”

The exhibit examined the movements that led to the removal of Confederate symbols from public spaces nationwide over the past decade. The exhibit ended earlier this month, leaving questions about where the statues will go next.

“As a Black man, you can’t help but think about slavery and the whole Civil War and the ongoing oppression,” one resident said in response to the statues’ return.

“I don’t like that they’re coming back,” said Eve Addison of Baltimore. “I don’t think that they should be back.”

Addison suggested the statues could be placed in a museum rather than in public spaces.

“Maybe a museum just so that we can see where we’ve come from as a society, but not like out in the world where they can just be encountered,” she said.

Scott Ryan, another community member, disagrees.

“They should not be put back on display in the public as public art. Personally, I think they should be melted down and that we put the last remnants of the Confederacy to bed,” Ryan said.

Ryan raised concerns about the cost of maintaining the statues, which were displayed in their current conditions, some still covered in paint from protests.

“Especially metals like this, like most of them are, have their own conservation issues that cost money,” he said. “You need a full-time staff to take care of these things, and I don’t think money should go into it, personally.”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott addressed the statues’ return during a press conference Wednesday, reiterating his previous stance that he would prefer the monuments be melted down.

“I think you know the answer to that. Yes,” Scott said when asked if he stood by his earlier comments.

Addison supported the mayor’s position, saying, “I’d be fine with that. Works for me.”

Another resident added, “I don’t see any reason for them to have been up initially, let alone see them now.”

City leaders have not provided a timeline for the statues’ return or detailed plans for their future. The mayor’s office released a statement saying it is staying informed as city agencies identify next steps for the monuments once they arrive in Baltimore.

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 Robert Boyd

Click here for updates on this story

    DUNEDIN, Florida (WFTS) — When it comes to your average playground equipment, sometimes a regular slide or swing set just isn’t good enough for families living with Neurodiversity.

So, one Palm Harbor family decided to create their own playground, and now they are sharing it with the entire community.

“We’ve been doing down syndrome meet-up groups for two years, and through those meet-ups, it was really hard to find a space where we could let our kids play, where it was safe and inclusive,” said mother Christine Rittenhouse.

Rittenhouse decided: why not design her own playground, meant just for kids like her daughter, Scarlette? It’s called Little Victories Sensory Gym.

“Raising a child with special needs you celebrate those little victories, they mean so much more, because it’s harder for them to come to those victories,” said Rittenhouse.

Some of the specialized equipment includes a sensory swing, roller slide, and platform swing.

“It’s a little bit different than your typical swing that you would see at a park, where it’s hot and it’s hard,” said Rittenhouse about the platform swing. “This is actually really soft and calming, and offers a repetitive swinging, just like you do normally, but kids can lay on their belly, or on their back, or sit crisscross.”

Over the past year, Little Victories has traveled to churches, community centers, and libraries across North Pinellas County, like their latest visit to Coastal Christian Church in Dunedin.

Mother Kayleigh Zahn said she doesn’t know who benefits more, her or her daughter Summer.

“The equipment is great because it keeps the kids running around and playing, and then you can actually talk with the other parents and get information,” said Zahn.

Christine said she hopes to be a voice in the community for all families out there living with Neurodiversity.

“There’s a lot of special needs families that don’t feel like they belong,” said Rittenhouse. “The kids belong in a place where they can be themselves and have play equipment that can help them grow and build their confidence. And there is just not a lot of accessibility for that, so it’s just super important for us to help provide that.”

Little Victories Sensory Gym is also collecting special-needs-related equipment for at-home use, which will be distributed to families in need later this summer.

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 Logan Hall

Click here for updates on this story

    EVERETT, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Nine students were taken to the hospital as a precaution after a car struck a school bus in Everett, Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon. Surveillance video shows the moment the BMW collided with the school bus full of children at the intersection of Broadway and Langdon Streets.

There were 11 elementary and middle school students, a bus driver and a monitor on board the bus at the time. Nine students were transported to the hospital from the scene, and two were released to their parents. One of the students was taken to the hospital by a parent.

All the students’ injuries are not life threatening and they are expected to be OK. They all attend the Devens School in Everett, a therapeutic day school for students eligible for special education.

Everett Public School Superintendent Bill Hart said it appears the bus driver was following all the traffic laws. The crash forced the bus into a city owned light pole at the corner of Langdon and Broadway, according to Hart.

“The bus was making a left-hand turn from Broadway into Langdon Street,” said Hart. “It was legal, it was correct, it was observing all, from what I could see, all appropriate signage when a vehicle on the inside lane of a two-lane main throughfare came on up on the right hand side and hit the back end of the bus.”

The BMW involved in the crash had significant front-end damage. Everett Police said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

No other information has been released.

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 Ashley Portillo

Click here for updates on this story

    DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — The Colorado Department of Corrections says it is now the first and only department in the country to use virtual reality to train its parole officers.

The VR training puts officers through realistic, complex situations and ensures parole officers know how to use their words to de-escalate difficult situations or talk with someone in crisis.

Jeff Genger, a community parole officer with the Colorado Department of Corrections, said their words and voice are among their most powerful tools in those situations.

“Can we really talk through the situation? Can we de-escalate the situation? Are they going through a mental crisis?” asked Genger. “We’re trying to get to that point where we’re de-escalating more, because that’s really where law enforcement’s starting to go, and it’s trying not to have bad engagements or have a bad lethal situation.”

The Colorado Department of Corrections supervises more than 9,000 people on parole. Genger said their job as community parole officers is to ensure people are following the conditions of their parole, making it to appointments, and helping meet the needs of people under supervision.

Genger added that parole officers go on many home visits, and sometimes a parolee is in crisis. Parolees also come into the office for check-ins, but are in crisis, too. With the virtual training, though, the goal is to prepare officers to de-escalate in these kinds of situations by using their voices and thinking on their feet.

“So when they go into an actual setting, they feel confident, like, ‘Okay, I’ve been here before, now we can work through this.’ We can help the parolee, and really get them to that point that they’ll either be safe for themselves or get them to the point of finishing their parole time,” said Genger.

In one scenario with the virtual reality training, a parole officer is at the office when a parolee comes in in crisis. The officer can calm down the parolee before taking them to crisis intervention.

In another scenario, parole officers work together on a home visit and welfare check on a woman who is in distress and has missed other check-ins and failed treatments.

Genger says not only is virtual reality training convenient, but it’s also cost-effective, because they can set up these scenarios with fewer resources.

“It’s packable, it’s easy to move from one place to the next,” said Genger. “We’re also able to set up these scenarios, use it with a small amount of personnel, and be able to get a good training in over a good three to four hour basis, and not have to pay out money to have actors come in.”

So far, the department has taught five classes to train parole officers across Colorado, so all officers can navigate complex situations and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

The virtual reality training is made possible thanks to an $800,000 grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The department is also partnering with the UCCS research team, which is evaluating the training’s impact on officer safety and decision making.

“The nice thing about it is that we can look to the future to see if we want to add upon it,” said Genger. “It’s an exciting opportunity. I’m glad I’m part of it, and I see that this can really enhance experience level, and the Colorado Department of Corrections Adult Parole.”

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 Michele Gile

Click here for updates on this story

    NEWPORT BEACH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A Newport Beach family is living in fear after the man who murdered their grandmother 30 years ago may be considered for parole.

Shannon Wadsworth, the victim’s granddaughter, is speaking out, pleading for Gov. Gavin Newsom to block the release.

“I’m terrified. My entire family is terrified,” Wadsworth said. “He should not be on the streets; he’s not safe. He even said in his parole hearing that he has the possibility to commit this crime again, a crime of sexual nature, and that says it all.”

In the 1990’s, teenager James Dennis Lynch made headlines after pleading guilty to the brutal rape, robbery and murder of his Stockton neighbor Hilda Boggianno.

Lynch was sentenced to 36 years to life in prison. He’s served 30 years, and Wadsworth worries a release could happen at any time.

In an email, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation responded that Lynch is not scheduled for release.

“The Board of Parole Hearings made a preliminary decision on Jan. 15, 2026, regarding this case. A grant of suitability does not mean the automatic release of an incarcerated person,” CDCR wrote. Any decision will still go through a comprehensive review.

The convicted killer, according to Wadsworth, qualifies for early parole under the youth offender program.

Adding to her fears, Wadsworth says her personal information was provided as a crime victim, and she was told it was mistakenly passed on to her grandmother’s killer.

About a dozen years ago, the letter from Lynch arrived.

“I was hysterical. I had panic attacks. I consulted an attorney. I talked to the warden,” Wadsworth said. “The warden stripped-searched him and his cell and found all my information hidden in his mattress.”

If Lynch is granted parole, Wadsworth said she was told he would have to wear an ankle monitor for a period of time, between three and 10 years. “But even so, those can be faulty; they can’t keep track of him all the time. The battery could wear out, he could take it off,” she said.

The CDCR noted in its email that grants of parole are proposed decisions and become final only after a “thorough and comprehensive review by the Board of Parole Hearings and the Governor, which can take up to 150 days.”

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 Lauren Pozen

Click here for updates on this story

    LOS ANGELES, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department cleared a rat-infested homeless encampment in a Pico Union neighborhood on Thursday. But hours later, people started setting up tents on the sidewalk again.

Neighbors and business owners said this is the frustrating cycle they’ve become accustomed to near the intersections along West Olympic Boulevard.

The crackdown in District 1 was part of the city’s CARE+ program, in which outreach teams, sanitation crews and LAPD work together to clear encampments. LAPD’s Rampart Division posted videos and photos of rats darting through the sprawling encampment on Instagram.

“When people ask why we do enforcement at homeless encampments, this is why,” officers wrote in the Instagram post.

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said the area has been a longtime hotspot for public health and Americans with Disabilities Act violations.

“Staff from our office were on-site during the operation alongside outreach workers and community partners, and have been working to connect these individuals with housing and resources,” Hernandez’s office wrote in a statement.

City leaders said the operations, including Inside Safe, are part of a bigger effort to reduce homelessness across LA, something that the Mayor’s Office said is working.

“This is why Mayor Bass, in contrast to past city leaders, created the city’s first comprehensive strategy to address encampments,” Mayor Karen Bass’ office wrote. “Before she took office, homelessness was rising year after year. Under her leadership, it has declined for two consecutive years, including a nearly 18% drop in street homelessness.”

The neighboring businesses and residents believe the operations are short-term solutions. Similar to what happened on Thursday, they said they report it to 311, the area is cleared, and within hours, people are back on the sidewalk again.

“It is very difficult because people don’t come inside,” business owner Cruz Varilla said in Spanish. “They see the people who live on the street.”

Varilla, who owns Varilla Pizza on Alvarado Street, said there’s also a growing concern about safety.

“I am afraid,” Varilla said in Spanish. “I put cameras because of the people.”

Hernandez’s office said crews will continue working to connect people living in the area with housing and services. LAPD said the operation led to several arrests and multiple citations.

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 Brandon Downs, Steve Large

Click here for updates on this story

    FAIRFIELD, California (KOVR) — The Fairfield Police Department released body camera footage of officers breaking up a fight and arresting two students at Fairfield High School on Wednesday as a video of the incident circulated on social media.

Officers said they responded to the high school shortly after 12:30 p.m. due to a fight on campus that involved multiple students.

One student fought a school official who was attempting to break up the fight, police said. The officer requested emergency help and saw one student attempting to pull something out of a backpack during the fight.

The officer believed the student was grabbing a weapon and confiscated two backpacks. Police said they later found sharp objects in the backpacks, including a screwdriver.

The student was then escorted to a school office by the officer, as a large crowd followed them. Once that student was in the office, the officer contacted a second student, who they say was still trying to fight.

Police said the student refused to listen to the officer and ran into the large group, where more fights were taking place.

When the officer tried to detain the student, police said the student hit the officer. The officer was able to grab the student and escort him toward the school office.

But the student pulled away and was “displaying aggressive behaviors,” police said. At this time, additional officers arrived at the scene, and one officer took the student down to the ground.

Police said the student continued to resist arrest and placed his hands over his head and covered his face. An officer tried to place the student’s hands behind his back, but was unsuccessful.

This is when police said the officer hit the student, calling it a “distraction strike to the second student’s hands.” The officer then tried again to place the student’s hands behind his back, but was still unsuccessful.

“The officer applied additional distraction strikes, which resulted in the second student complying and placing his hands behind his back,” police said.

That student was then arrested as a large group of students surrounded officers.

The first student who was placed into the school office then escaped, but was soon after arrested, police said.

The police department addressed a video on social media, saying it’s committed to transparency and released body camera footage. Viewer discretion advised.

Police said the two students, who were not identified, were arrested for causing a disturbance on a school campus and resisting arrest. They were not injured in the incident, police said. No officers were injured either.

“That officer needs to be investigated, the school needs to be investigated and these kids need more safety by the staff or the police that they have on campus,” said Anhloc Harris, a friend of the student’s family who came to the school to protest the actions by police.

Fairfield Suisun Unified School District issued a statement reading that the police department is conducting an investigation, as is the site administration.

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 Kenny Choi

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN FRANCISCO, California (KPIX) — San Francisco’s “canine court” is expected to reopen after a year without hearings for vicious and dangerous dog cases.

The pause has left a growing backlog of cases and frustrated dog bite victims who say they have had no legal route to proceed.

San Francisco resident Ati Soleimani says her dog Charlie isn’t the same these days after he was mauled by a pit bull in Golden Gate Park three years ago.

“He’s been fearful. He gets scared pretty much by everything and anything,” Soleimani said.

“She sees a pit bull, and plants himself, starts whining, and does not want to go forward. He just changed completely.”

Soleimani said the attack was so vicious that Charlie had to undergo emergency surgery.

Vicious dog attacks, including the 2001 case of Diane Whipple, a woman who was mauled and killed by two dogs in her apartment building, eventually led to the formation of San Francisco’s canine court.

SFPD’s Vicious and Dangerous Dog Unit, which investigates cases with only a few officers, says reported dog attacks have been rising over the last several years.

“The vicious and dangerous dog hearing process is really important for the city and when you do have a problem dog,” said Sally Stephens. “We were very distressed to hear that there had been a year-long process with no hearings happening.”

SFPD says this year, only 66 cases are ready for hearings, out of about 1,000 reported attacks piling up since last summer.

City officials say backlogs are growing because there’s no dog court judge to hear cases since last year, partly because of budget issues and lack of funding.

District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill has been pushing to reopen canine court.

“This about keeping dogs safe and people safe,” Sherrill said. “Accountability is incredibly important in San Francisco. Above all, this is about safety. This is about us living in a city together, and this is about government doing the right thing.”

Soleimani says the absence of a dog court and backlogs led to hostile exchanges with the pit bull’s owner.

“I was actually fearful because that guy really threatened me and my dog over the phone,” Soleimani said.

The city’s canine court determines whether a dog should be classified as “vicious” or “dangerous,” and what restrictions should be imposed to protect public safety, including mandatory muzzling, obedience training, or, in extreme cases, euthanasia.

San Francisco Chief of Public Safety Steven Betz says the mayor’s office has found long-term funding to reinstate a hearing officer.

“The police department will manage clerical work for the hearings, and we have a fund where a hearing officer shall be hired who will independently hear these cases,” Betz said.

Dog owners like Soleimani believe the restart of dog court is a much-needed step in the right direction.

“After you know all this, I spoke with a lot of people. just on the street, a lot of people get attacked by dogs and people get attacked by other dogs,” Soleimani said.

City officials say they are in the process of hiring a new hearing officer and that the city’s dog court will be operating again starting in July.

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.