Author: CNN Newsource

By Pepper Purpura

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — After years of planning, fundraising and advocacy, Iowa’s first centralized care center for sexual assault survivors is entering its final phase before opening this fall.

The Sexual Assault Forensic Exam Center, or SAFE Center, is expected to open in October inside Des Moines University’s clinic tower on Grande Avenue after lawmakers unanimously approved $1.5 million in state funding this legislative session.

Organizers say the project is still about $700,000 short of its fundraising goal, but they believe the center is now closer than ever to becoming a reality.

The SAFE Center is designed to bring together medical care, forensic exams and support services for survivors of sexual assault under one roof.

“It will change the landscape of the way victims are cared for,” founder Shannon Knudsen said.

Right now, many survivors in Iowa receive care through emergency rooms or hospital systems that may not always have trained forensic nurses available.

Knudsen, a longtime Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, or SANE nurse, said survivors can face long waits or may have to travel between facilities trying to find help.

“Right now, people are waiting eight hours, sometimes 12 hours in the emergency room, and they leave without being seen and getting care,” Knudsen said.

The SAFE Center aims to eliminate many of those barriers by creating a dedicated, standalone facility focused specifically on survivor care.

Once open, the center plans to provide:

24-hour access to care Sexual assault forensic exams Medical treatment Mental health support Victim advocacy services Follow-up care Space for law enforcement interviews and reporting if a survivor pursues it

Knudsen emphasized survivors will not be required to report assaults to police in order to receive services.

“If they want to make their police report, they can make their police report there,” Knudsen said. “They can meet with their victim advocates or their prosecutors or whoever they need to.”

The center is designed to operate independently from hospitals and law enforcement agencies while still coordinating with community partners across Iowa.

Organizers say the goal is to create a trauma-informed environment where survivors know exactly where to go for help.

“It’s to provide that comprehensive care from beginning to end and whatever they may need,” Knudsen said.

Research has shown survivors are more likely to seek help and participate in investigations when care is coordinated, accessible and trauma-informed.

Currently, Iowa’s system can be fragmented, particularly in rural communities where trained forensic nurses may not always be available.

Knudsen said that inconsistency can discourage survivors from continuing the process.

“Sometimes they give up, and that’s a tragedy, because that means that a criminal is going through and no one is going to be prosecuted,” Roxanne Conlin, an advocate for the SAFE Center, said.

Organizers say the Des Moines facility is intended to become the first in a broader statewide network.

The SAFE Center plans to eventually open satellite locations across Iowa to help connect survivors in rural and underserved regions with care closer to home.

Those satellite locations would still coordinate with the Des Moines center while expanding access to forensic exams, advocacy and follow-up services statewide.

Knudsen said demand for services is already significant.

“We see about 300 victims a year right now,” she said. “So that’s been my biggest fear, bursting at our seams on day one of opening the doors.”

The organization says services at the SAFE Center will be free and confidential for survivors.

The bill funding the project is now awaiting the governor’s signature. Independent donations can be made here.

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 Bob Jones , Mercy Sackor

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    AKRON, Ohio (WEWS) — A youth-led documentary will soon premiere in Akron, addressing the impact gun violence has had on young people.

“Talking Kids Off The Trigger” was created by Akron Kids Against Gun Violence, which includes Providence and Allie, who are sixth graders at Miller South School in the city, and Kori, an eighth grader at Litchfield Middle School.

Gun violence shouldn’t be a worry for them, but some have been touched by it — whether it happened close to where they live, or through losing a friend.

“Not too long ago, there was a shooting in my neighborhood,” said Kori. “…A kid got shot.”

“I knew a kid who sadly passed away to gun violence,” Providence said.

The preteens and teens are not just talking about the problem of youth gun violence in the city; they’re doing something about it and looking for solutions.

“Sometimes it takes more than just an adult saying it to make it real. A child taking action means something,” Providence said.

Last fall, the students began working on the powerful documentary. They researched gun violence in Akron and interviewed people impacted by it, including men who at one time were suspects or victims of gun crimes, but have since turned their lives around and now serve as mentors.

“We can’t stop people from doing gun violence. We can only help here and there, and maybe that’ll help something not happen,” Providence said.

The kids were supported in making the documentary by TomTod Ideas, a nonprofit in Summit and Stark counties that works with middle schoolers seeking ways to improve their communities.

“To see these kids sit across from these community leaders and have this really important conversation is just a huge moment of pride,” said Patrick, director of programming.

The documentary is meant to transform trauma into messages of hope, resilience and change — part of that change comes from youngsters wanting their friends to grow up and adults to take notice.

“It’s coming from kids. Adults should really like wake up because why is a kid saying this at 13, 12 or 11?” Kori said.

The documentary will premiere at the Akron Urban League on Thursday afternoon. After that, the plan is to share it with community groups and online.

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 Jamal Goss

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    ROSWELL, Georgia (WUPA) — For many senior citizens, a simple visit can make all the difference. Oscar Bird said his weekly lunch with volunteer Marian Andeweg has become one of the highlights of his life.

“Well, she takes me to lunch once every week, and it’s something that I look for very much,” Bird said. “It’s a change in my life.”

Bird is a 78-year-old Vietnam veteran who is legally blind and cannot drive. Most days, he said, he spends time at home listening to music and the Atlanta Braves.

Andeweg volunteers with Senior Services North Fulton. She started with the organization through its Meals on Wheels program and later became connected with Bird through a friendly visitor program.

“To find purpose in my own life, I think, to do something useful with my life,” Andeweg said.

What began as a volunteer visit has turned into a friendship. Bird said Andeweg’s visits give him something to look forward to each week.

“We just enjoy each other’s company, and I look forward to seeing her every week,” Bird said. “It’s a bright spot in my life.”

Andeweg said she realized Bird was often by himself at home and wanted to help him get out of the house.

“He was by himself at home a lot,” Andeweg said. “He was legally blind. He can’t drive. He’s kind of isolated to the house.”

Their visits often include lunch at one of Bird’s favorite restaurants, including Mika Sushi in Roswell.

Bird said the friendship has helped him through difficult moments.

“I was really depressed and she just made it all right, just being there,” Bird said.

Andeweg said programs like Senior Services North Fulton provide more than meals or transportation. She said they offer connection, check-ins, and support for older adults who may otherwise feel isolated.

“If programs like this would be taken away, it would be devastating,” Andeweg said. “They rely on it.”

Bird said the weekly visits have changed his outlook on life.

“That’s the highlight of my life,” he said.

Volunteers with Senior Services North Fulton say just a few hours a week can make a real difference in someone’s life.

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 Rachel Henderson

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    BONNER SPRINGS, Kansas (KSHB) — Moon Marble in Bonner Springs is the kind of place that’s hard to describe, but customers seem to agree on one thing.

“It was really cool seeing all the colors that he used to make marbles…” said Grant Maley, a third grade student visiting from Stilwell, Kansas, with his younger brother Theo.

Karol Hattok, a customer from Platte City, put it simply.

“It was just really cool,” Hattok said.

Bruce Breslow founded Moon Marble in 1997 alongside co-founder Lynda Sproules.

Before it became a marble store, Breslow used the building — which he bought in the 1970s — for custom woodworking.

The two had previously worked together at a greenhouse before Sproules joined Breslow’s woodworking business.

When they started making game boards, they needed marbles, so they contacted Marble King in West Virginia and ordered a supply.

They set them up in the front room of the building, and the rest took on a life of its own.

“I was like, ‘What are you doing? We’re going to be stuck with these marbles forever, I’m going to be burying you with them.’ Well, that didn’t happen,” Sproules said, laughing. “People started coming around ’cause they needed marbles. Eventually, we just took this front room of the building and set it up with marbles so people could come, and then it just took on a life of its own.”

The store’s name comes from a type of marble that looks like the moon.

Most of the marbles sold there come from Guadalajara, Mexico, though the shop also works with companies that purchase marbles for industrial uses.

Breslow’s path to marble-making started on vacation, when he and his wife spotted a jar of marbles in an antique store.

He couldn’t stop talking about them and told his wife he was going to figure out how to make them.

He eventually met a couple of craftspeople at a craft show who showed him how, and he started selling handmade marbles at the Renaissance festival.

When kids began coming into the shop, he started teaching them how to play, and then thought they’d like to see how marbles are made.

“I came in here and just started making marbles, and that was a long time ago,” Breslow said.

Those demonstrations have become a signature of the Moon Marble experience.

Breslow heats glass and shapes it by hand in front of visitors, drawing reactions from customers of all ages.

“I enjoy the kids and watching the folks go, ‘Whoa, did you see that?'” Breslow said.

For young visitors, the demonstrations leave a lasting impression.

Theo Maley, a first grader celebrating his birthday that weekend, said it was his first time at the shop.

“It’s our first time,” Theo said.

His older brother Grant was captivated by the craft.

“I liked when he was twisting it and how the glass fibers were holding up really well,” Grant said.

They’re not the only youth captivated by the experience.

“It’s satisfying. Like, you just start out as this blob, and it just forms to make this,” said Zach Dalton, a fourth grade customer who said his dad had bought him a marble from Breslow on a previous visit.

Theo had come in with his own expectations before seeing the demonstrations.

“I thought it would be a factory factory,” Theo said.

He added, “I thought it would be kind of like making pottery.”

For Breslow, the demonstrations are about more than just the craft.

“I think it’s great for the boys and girls to see somebody making a living doing what they love,” Breslow said. “I think it makes an influence like, ‘Hey, maybe I’d like to make something with my hands.’ To put that thought out there.”

The shop draws visitors from well beyond the Kansas City area.

Sproules said out-of-state license plates fill the parking lot in the summer, and the store’s website helped it survive the pandemic.

“I had a young couple from Chicago, and she said the only reason she came to Bonner Springs was to visit us,” Sproules said. “And they drove seven hours, and they were turning around and going seven hours back.”

Hattok, whose daughter came in for a job interview and loves marbles, said the shop’s appeal is easy to understand.

“I’ve seen this place packed like elbow to elbow,” Hattok said. “[It’s] just family-oriented, like the old school games and being able to see the marbles being made. Even from my daughter’s collection, I know no two are alike. They’re all different. It’s just amazing how quick they can make ’em.”

The store carries games and toys spanning multiple eras, drawing customers of all ages and backgrounds.

“We have games and toys from every era, so no matter whether somebody’s 15 or 500, they come in, and they remember things from their childhood,” Sproules said. “I think it just brings people good memories.”

Both Breslow and Sproules say they won’t run the shop forever, and affordability is a factor in finding the right successor.

“We’d like to sell it to somebody who loves it,” Breslow said.

Given the loyalty Moon Marble inspires, finding that person may not be difficult.

“It really unifies people,” Sproules said. “It’s crazy that some little round pieces of glass can do that.”

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

By CJ Maclin

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    FORT GIBSON, Oklahoma (KJRH) — A Fort Gibson family of five lost their home after discovering it was built on an oil well, now their experience led to a new bill in the Oklahoma House

Senate Bill 1319 passed the House floor this week.

The Meredith family — a family of five — said contamination from an underground well seeped into their bedroom, bathroom, and walls. At one point, the family said nearly 500 gallons a day flowed inside their home. Despite visits from Oklahoma Corporation Commission officials in September and October of last year, the family said they received no guidance on cleanup or next steps, forcing them to hire their own experts.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission claimed in March the case falls outside their jurisdiction.

Mitch Meredith, the father at the center of the battle, described the moment he realized the scope of the problem.

“All I saw was just gray and black and everything flowing everywhere,” Meredith said.

Meredith described his frustration trying to get answers from regulators, “And I said, help me contain this. What do I do? You guys have seen we’re in a neighborhood. Where’s this going?”

Now, multiple lawmakers are working to ensure no other family faces the same regulatory nightmare. Rep. Chris Sneed (R) is among those leading the effort.

“Through the application process, the Meredith family or any family in the future would be able to, you know, apply through OCC and, you know, hopefully get those funds. In the fund, it’s capped at $600,000. We’ve appropriated $500,000 to go into that fund,” Sneed said.

Sneed says the money would be available immediately once the governor signs the legislation, though the bill still needs final approval.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission responded to a request for comment but declined to discuss the Meredith case.

The Meredith family hopes the bill finally provides the relief they’vebeen seeking and protect other Oklahoma families from facing the same ordeal.

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

By Randy Wimbley

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    DETROIT (WXYZ) — A thief broke into a brand-new Chevy Trailblazer in Detroit’s Islandview neighborhood and ripped out the airbag — and the owner says the $2,000 repair bill is adding insult to injury.

A home surveillance camera captured the break-in, which happened just after 5 a.m. Tuesday as Sandra Busko and her family were in the middle of renovating their new home.

“So it’s very shocking to wake up to. I was kind of in disbelief,” Busko said.

Instead of putting that money toward their renovation, Busko is now paying out of pocket for the repair.

“I already put my deposit down for the repairs. They’re going to be $2,000 and I’m not going through insurance because Detroit insurance is insane already. And so I decided not to use my $1,000 deductible and just pay out of pocket, but that would have been $2,000. I could have used for renovations, so it’s hard,” Busko said.

The break-in follows the theft of an airbag from another man’s vehicle and the thefts of newer model Chevy Blazers covered back in April — capers that were also caught on camera.

In one of those earlier incidents, Keyonia Leveston’s vehicle was eventually recovered by police — but it had been stripped and the airbag was missing.

“I was like, wow. He got his Crocs in sports mode, and he’s taking my car, like what the heck. He doesn’t even care — he don’t even care to put on gym shoes. He can’t even steal it with class,” Leveston said.

Former Detroit Assistant Police Chief Steve Dolunt says black-market demand is driving the thefts.

“So when you lose your—like she lost her airbag, she’s going to go buy another one. She can go to a dealership, which is going to cost more, 2,000 bucks, OK, or she can come to me, an independent, yeah, retailer, and get it for whatever because I bought it from that guy on the street,” Dolunt said.

Busko says she hopes the Detroit Police Department increases patrols in the area and is interested in starting a neighborhood watch program. She also had a message for the thief.

“Detroit’s a beautiful city, and I just wish you could, you know, help bring it back and rebuild it rather than causing people who work hard and are putting their heart and soul into this to have to keep dealing with this kind of theft, and we already prayed for you guys,” Busko said.

General Motors released the following statement:

“We take reports of thefts very seriously. Protecting our customers and their property are top priorities for General Motors, and we continuously monitor theft trends and work with law enforcement, safety organizations, and insurers to understand and address evolving tactics used by criminals.”

Also, here are some recommendations for vehicle owners to better secure their vehicles:

We encourage all owners to take common-sense steps that meaningfully reduce risk for any vehicle: always lock the vehicle and remove keys and key fobs, park in well-lit and monitored areas where possible, avoid leaving valuables in plain sight, and ensure the factory theft-deterrent system is armed by locking with the key fob or keyless entry system.

Owners with OnStar should confirm their account is active and their Theft Alarm Notification contact preferences are up to date so they can be alerted if an alarm is triggered and then choose to work with law enforcement and OnStar if they believe a theft has occurred.

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

By Kellen Voss , Brittany Toolis, Ruta Ulcinaite

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    CANTON, Michigan (WXYZ) — A local father has died after the Canton Police Department says he crashed a truck into a building while taking his teenage son to school Wednesday morning. The teen was also injured, but is stable, recovering at a local hospital.

We’re told the crash happened around 7 a.m. near Sheldon Road and Sheldon Center. Video from Chopper 7 shows that the truck was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

The driver, a 44-year-old, was pronounced dead at the scene. Family has since identified him as Abdul Manan Khan.

Mary Camargo was headed home from dropping her daughter off at school Wednesday morning, when saw the truck plow into the building.

Camargo says the teenager in the passenger seat was confused and in shock, but alive. She saw the young man, only a few years older than her own daughter, and knew she had to help.

“It was just kind of natural instinct. It was no second-guessing. I made sure the intersection was clear before I turned around, pulled in, first thing I did was start to run,” she said. “I just tried to make sure (the teenager) stayed calm. I wasn’t sure of the extent of his injuries,” she said.

The owner of the building where the crash happened, Canton City Market, says he usually gets in around 8:30 a.m. The time of the crash was only moments before. Owner Ronak Patel says the location of the incident is exactly where he would’ve been standing if his store was open.

While feeling lucky to be alive, he’s still devastated over the damage, and the death of a father.

“The biggest thing is the family, somebody lost their life. Business, I can fix it and repair it and start running, but who lost their lives, they’re not going to come back,” Patel said.

Police say the father and son were headed to the the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, a series of three high schools belonging to the Plymouth-Canton Community School District. School officials say they are offering services to students struggling with the news.

Meanwhile Camargo hopes Khan’s family is supported during this difficult time, saying she knows exactly how they feel.

“I know it’s going to be a very hard road with losing a parent. I lost my father at a very young age, so I just hope [the teenager] can get the healing with him and his mom,” she added.

Canton Police’s Accident Investigation team is investigating. Sheldon Road was closed in both directions on Wednesday morning, between Arlington Road and Sheldon Center, to investigate the incident but has since reopened.

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.