Author: CNN Newsource

By WTAE staff

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — A man was taken to the hospital after crashing his car into a City of Pittsburgh garage Tuesday morning, narrowly missing an employee working underneath a hoist, public safety officials said.

The vehicle ended up underneath the hoist after the car reversed into the closed garage door on Eazor Square in the Strip District at about 8:45 a.m., public safety officials said.

The garage is located just off Railroad Street, between 29th and 30th streets.

Firefighters found the man inside the car, and medics took him to the hospital in stable condition, officials said.

The crash is under investigation by Pittsburgh police.

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 Olivia Russell

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    ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — An Orlando woman is going viral after calling 911 while dressed in a banana costume.

Stephanie Oropeza and her fiancé were going home from a Halloween party when they witnessed the crash at The Moderne bar on Colonial Drive around 4 a.m. Saturday.

“I yelled at my fiancé. I was like, ‘You need to stop the car right now,’” Oropeza said. “And then we start running, and I’m on the phone with 911.”

The car slammed through tables, umbrellas and a fence outside the bar. The building itself was not damaged and no injuries were reported.

Oropeza did not realize surveillance cameras had captured her running toward the scene in the bright yellow costume.

“The last thing that would have occurred to me is that there was a surveillance camera and that the next day I’d wake up to ‘Banana Hero,’” she said.

The Moderne posted the surveillance video on social media while trying to identify the costumed caller. Management offered her a dinner as a thank-you.

The last-minute Halloween costume quickly turned Oropeza into a viral sensation. Oropeza said she has barely taken off the costume since Saturday and is enjoying her newfound fame.

Still, she hopes the attention highlights a more important lesson.

“I genuinely feel like I just did something that I hope most people do when you see someone in need — just help them out and call who you need to call so they can get the help they need,” Oropeza said. “Despite knowing them or not, despite being in a costume or not.”

Oropeza said the driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene and cooperated with police.

Management at The Moderne said it is also creating a banana-flavored specialty cocktail in Oropeza’s honor. The drink is expected to be added to the menu this week.

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 Kristen Consillio

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    DIAMOND HEAD, Hawaii (KITV) — This video shows a man creeping behind two women walking into a parking garage at around noon on Monday.

“And then all of a sudden, we felt somebody really close, evil, and we both kind of turned. And his face was filled with anger,” said an elderly woman who was with the victim.

Within seconds, the man begins chasing a 24-year-old woman.

This is where the man caught the woman from behind and tried to carry her to his car while she screamed for help.

“She was fighting with all her might,” the elderly woman said. “And at the same time, I was really impressed because she kept saying to him, ‘You don’t want to do this.’ She was trying to give him a conscience and I’m screaming, ‘Help! Help!’ as loud as I can.”

That’s when neighbors and bystanders jumped into action.

“There was terror. I looked out and I saw a man with a woman in a bear hug. She’s off the ground and flailing and screaming,” said neighbor Beverly Lewis. “We just started screaming at him to drop her, put her down, get out of here. We heard other neighbors say the same kind of thing.”

Then suddenly, “the guy dropped her in the middle of the road and backed up, floored it,” she said.

The attempted kidnapping is now traumatizing both the victims and neighbors.

“My friend and I are having night terrors,” the elderly woman said. “I kept waking up screaming.”

“All of us are horrified,” Lewis said. “You see videos of things like that, but to experience a savage attack on a person, it’s speechless.”

“He was over 200 pounds… and he was solid,” added neighbor Mike Finkelstein. “Yeah, he was a solid guy and he went down and he just picked her right up.”

And while the community is still reeling, calling for vigilance in the quaint and normally quiet neighborhood, it’s aloha that saved the day.

“The community saved her, and I think that’s the best part of the story is that everybody, everybody rallied,” Lewis said.

“There were people praying over us,” the elderly woman said. “They all came from their heart and they were all here to support us and help us through it, and they scared him away.”

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 Melissa Fry

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Heather Waite, a special effects makeup artist, is showcasing how simple tools can create chilling Halloween transformations as part of her annual 31-day challenge.

“This is the way I get my creativity out, if I don’t I might go insane,” Waite said.

Waite’s talent for special effects makeup has taken her to film and movie sets for years. Every October, she challenges herself to create spooky looks using everyday items that anyone can find.

“This you can just get from any grocery store, just look for Knox gelatin, it comes in little packets,” Waite said.

She also uses latex, tissues, cotton balls, foundation, and crushed eyeshadow to create different shades.

For one of her recent challenges, Waite transformed a participant into a character with burned skin.

“It’s so creepy,” said Conni Fry. She’s the mother of KETV Anchor Melissa Fry. She willingly volunteered to have her face done up by Waite.

Waite explained the process as she worked. “Start putting some colors on here, and we’ll do it in different layers,” she said. The latex created the appearance of melted skin, and she added black makeup and fake blood for a dramatic effect.

“Let’s put some blood in it,” Waite said, holding up a bottle. She also demonstrated how to adjust the blood’s texture and color. “You can even affect it to be darker, thicker, thinner. So this is kind of a cool product.”

The entire look took Waite about 20 minutes to complete.

“Ironically, being a special effects artist, I feel like less is more, because our brain can come up with so much more,” Waite said.

The transformation was a hit. “Oh my god! I love it,” said Fry.

She loved the look so much, she drove her grandson Charlie to football practice while still in character. Standing at the back of the field, she caught the attention of the coach, who approached her and asked, “Can I help you?”

Charlie’s response? “I don’t know, this lady has been following me.”

Waite’s work highlights how creativity and simple tools can bring Halloween characters to 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 Pedro Rivera

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    VALHALLA, New York (WABC) — A therapy dog is helping incarcerated parents at the Westchester County Department of Corrections build parenting skills, manage stress, and prepare for life after incarceration.

The “Parenting, Prison and Pups” program combines parenting education with visits from therapy dogs, creating what organizers say is a judgment-free environment where participants can work on communication, conflict resolution, and emotional well-being.

Inside the Valhalla facility, participants practice problem-solving and compromise while interacting with therapy dogs like Annie, a black dog who has quickly become a favorite among the women in the program.

Amanda Oropeza, an incarcerated resident and mother of three, said the dogs have helped her manage anxiety.

“She’s just so sweet,” Oropeza said of Annie.

“I have a lot of anxiety, so they do help me a lot,” she said.

Oropeza said the dogs provide comfort during emotional moments and help participants stay engaged in the classes.

“They’re very good therapeutic dogs. If you have anxiety or anything, they come up, and you can pet them and love them,” she said.

The program began nearly a decade ago as a passion project and has grown into a rehabilitation effort focused on strengthening parenting skills.

“What do they want and what do the women need?” said Kimberly Collica-Cox, the program’s director. “They want a dog program but what they needed was a parenting program.”

Collica-Cox, a distinguished professor at Pace University, partnered with therapy dog organizations across the tri-state area to bring the concept to life.

She said research tied to the program has shown improvements in participants’ self-esteem and parenting knowledge, along with reductions in stress and depression.

Pace University students also take part in the classes, gaining firsthand experience working with justice-involved participants.

“The women here are very into becoming better mothers,” said Pace senior Alanie Ruiz. “And I think for me that’s what’s so inspirational, just to know that they do want to do better and are doing their best to do better.”

The 14-course program is open to eligible parents with a child or grandchild under 25, regardless of their offense.

Corrections officials say the goal is to create long-term benefits that extend beyond the jail’s walls.

“You can really save a generation,” said Nory Padilla, first deputy commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Corrections. “This is a mother that can go back, become a parent, become a mother, and be there for their children.”

Collica-Cox said the program is also about recognizing the humanity of those participating.

“What you learn is we are all human beings, and we all have different paths that we have traveled, but that people want to make a change,” she said.

For Oropeza, the lessons are simple but valuable.

“You can never not learn enough,” she 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.

By Gio Insignares

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — A growing social media campaign is shining a light on the struggle that many movie and television audiences never see, as actors fight for more work so they qualify for SAG-AFTRA union health insurance.

The “One Job Away” campaign, which caught steam on Monday, was started to highlight actors working job to job that may not meet the union’s $28,000 minimum in annual earnings to receive health insurance.

“It just means I lose coverage. I lose access to my doctors,” said Joe Camareno, an actor, director and producer who is currently just short of qualifying. “I made more than double the amount to qualify this calendar year, but because of where my windows are situated… it means that I’m currently shy about $6,500.”

Actor Cheyenne Jackson, who started the movement, was one job short last year, until “Misery” star Kathy Bates helped him out.

“She says, ‘I have a part on ‘Matlock’ for you,'” Jackson recalled. “‘Bad news is, you don’t have a name and you only have four lines.’ And I was like, ‘Sign me up!'”

He’s now hoping to pay that forward by shining a light on the issue so many SAG-AFTRA members face. The campaign lets actors share how close they are to qualifying, so casting directors can find them. Jackson said submissions have poured in, so he created a dedicated Instagram account to feature their stories. He says several prominent casting directors have already reached out.

“I think whatever happens with this, I’m just so glad the conversation’s happening,” Jackson said, adding that actors should lean on each other. “We are paycheck to paycheck, and we are just doing the best that we can. So, I would say, hang in there. You’re not alone.”

Julie Marchiano says she and her husband are currently out of work and that SAG-AFTRA coverage would protect their family.

“COBRA is really expensive, especially for, at this point, an almost zero income house,” she said. “We also have a 3-year-old, so being able to have insurance for me, my husband and my family would be really meaningful, obviously.”

Miho Saito is another actor one job away from coverage.

“It would be silly to lose health insurance over $402,” Saito said. “We audition, and then there’s a callback, and then you get pinned if you’re lucky, and then from the pin, you get hired. So, it’s kind of like quite a process, even to get a job.”

Starshine Pictures producer Diana Zollicoffer said she hires actors under SAG-AFTRA contracts so their pay counts toward insurance, but she believes more work depends on production tax incentives.

“If we can get the incentives to produce, then we can hire,” Zollicoffer said.

Jackson said he’s open to having a conversation with SAG-AFTRA leaders about what can be done. Upon request for comment, union officials directed CBS LA to the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan, which they said is a separate organization.

A plan spokesperson says that approximately 25,000 participants were covered at the end of 2025, which is up nearly a thousand from the year before. They don’t yet have the final numbers for 2026.

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 Marie Saavedra, Tracy O’Brien

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    BARRINTON, Illinois (WBBM) — In a northwest suburban cemetery, a history buff’s love for the past leads to an unexpected discovery.

That find has now become a long-overdue tribute to a Chicago Bears legend.

At the Evergreen Cemetery in Barrington, Illinois, a small group gathers to honor the legend.

Bill George’s grave had gone unnoticed for years.

“Before Butkus, before Buffon, before Singletary, before Urlacher, there was Bill George,” said Kevin Pokorny.

The eight-time pro bowler and Hall of Famer helped revolutionize the linebacker position, starring for the Chicago Bears from 1952 to 1965.

Pokorny, who lives nearby, discovered No. 61’s final resting place and began bringing his son.

On a recent visit, they noticed something was missing.

“A few years ago, somebody had taken the marker off of Bill’s gravesite, the Hall of Fame marker,” Pokorny said.

He and his friend, fellow Bears fan Kevin Carter, contacted the Pro Football Hall of Fame and worked to get it replaced.

They sent a replacement marker and Kevin and I went out and glued it back on and cemented it,” Porkorny said.

They have since returned with some pals to celebrate what would have been George’s 97th birthday. What began as one fan’s curiosity has become a promise that a Bears legend won’t be forgotten.

“Nobody is taking care of the site no more, so that’s us,” Porkorny said.

The group plans to add more fans and meet every year on George’s birthday on Oct. 27.

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By Bo Evans

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    ALRINGTON, Texas (KTVT) — Anyone who’s played golf knows it’s a game of repetition and patience.

Just a few things Bobby Brown is still working on at 88 years young.

“I love being out, I love the camaraderie, I love the competition, and I just love the sport,” said Brown.

But the last few years have been tough for Brown – he almost lost golf; he almost lost everything.

“Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease; it doesn’t get better, it only gets worse,” said Brown.

After an unrelated neck surgery, Brown couldn’t make it from the car to his bed.

“We had to call my friend, and he carried me into bed,” he said.

Unable to leave his bed and relying on oxygen tanks to breathe, nobody thought he would get better.

But Brown wasn’t ready for this to be his final round.

And neither were respiratory therapists Ty Whitting and Danna Carter with Texas Health Arlington Memorial.

“In this setting, we’re helping people to get their breath back,” said Whitting.

And that’s exactly what they did. Thanks to a series of breathing techniques.

“Purse lips breathing, that’s just breathing in through your nose like you’re smelling flowers, and breathing out like you’re blowing out candles,” said Whitting.

And some good old-fashioned cardio – step by step, Brown made it back to the golf course.

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.