Author: CNN Newsource

By Anahita Jafary

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    TURLOCK, California (KCRA) — The sole survivor of a tragic crash in Turlock shares her journey of recovery and the loss of her family, highlighting the support she has received from loved ones and the community.

Emma Lourenco, 19, is working hard to walk her way back into a regular life.

“The goals that I have for the future kind of just involve going back to normal,” said Emma Lourenco, who is determined to regain a sense of normalcy after the accident.

Most things people take for granted, she diligently fought to regain.

“I can’t walk, for example, like I couldn’t walk at all. So I had to work up to that. Now I can,” she said. “December 15th was the day of the crash. I was in therapy from that day until like today, basically.”

She explained the challenges of relearning everyday tasks.

“Brushing your teeth, putting on your clothes, cooking all that stuff and then speech is obviously just talking, but also cognitive stuff. So it’s a little bit of both,” Lourenco said.

Last year, Lourenco and her family were driving to church when a speeding driver on Highway 165 crashed into their Jeep SUV. Her parents and the other driver died at the scene, while her brother and sister passed away shortly after. Lourenco survived after a week-long coma.

“I have no memory of the entire month of December or January,” Lourenco said, recounting the difficulty of processing the loss of her family.

She discovered the truth about the accident by searching online.

“I looked it up on Google, I looked up myself and I saw everything and that’s kind of how I found out,” she said. “My first thought was kind of like, they weren’t lying. It’s true. It did happen.”

Although her therapy has ended, Lourenco continues to face challenges in daily life.

“I would say it’s rough, but it does get better with time. I would say it definitely doesn’t heal. The loss is still there, but like your personal self will get better over time,” she said.

Lurenco plans to use her experience to help others, aspiring to become a physical therapist.

Throughout her recovery, the community has offered support.

“I was at the grocery store and a lady came up to me, and she was like, ‘I’m so grateful to see that you’re doing okay, that you’re healthy.’ And I was just—that kind of made my day,” Lourenco said.

Reflecting on the crash, Lourenco shared her biggest takeaway: “Just to be very grateful for everything that you do have and also very faithful.”

Lourenco says her grandparents, along with the rest of her family, have helped tremendously by supporting her and aiding her in her recovery. She has also turned to her faith in God and social media, like TikTok, as a form of therapy by sharing her story and answering questions for others experiencing grief and recovery.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Michelle Bandur

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    ISLETON, California (KCRA) — The face of who you may imagine using cannabis is changing. It’s not just the younger crowd anymore, and the new users have more wrinkles.

More seniors are turning to cannabis for connection, fun and medical reasons.

Some seniors at the Trilogy retirement community in Rio Vista use cannabis for both recreational and medical purposes, with monthly trips to a nearby dispensary becoming a popular event. They’ve created a health and wellness group called “The 420 Club.”

On the 20th of every month, retired residents, ranging in age from 66 to 91, board the Delta Breeze bus for a trip to Isleton, which they affectionately call the “Cannabus.”

Jax Eubanks, owner of Delta Boyz Dispensary, looks forward to the monthly visits from the Rio Vista group. She said most of their customers are senior citizens.

“I wanted to offer something to the senior population, so I call it my ‘420 hour,’ my senior hour,” she said. Eubanks offers goodie bags and educational information to the group.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that marijuana use among Americans aged 65 and older increased by 46% between 2021 and 2023.

Tom Watson, 75, who founded the 420 Club, said he’s not surprised by the higher numbers.

“I like to get high every night, primarily for my insomnia. It helps me sleep,” he said. “But I’m not like your old typical hippie sitting around smoking a joint all the time.”

He said there are new products and club members want to learn and try new things, even in their older age.

“It’s all educational. We talk about the benefits of cannabis for any ailment you can think of,” Watson said.

Newest member Randi Hope didn’t start using marijuana until her 70s. She doesn’t want to smoke it.

“I bought two tinctures because I like tinctures,” she said. “I know exactly how much I’m getting.”

She enjoys the camaraderie and learning from the employees at the dispensary.

“You get to this age, everything hurts. It definitely helps with the pain,” Hope said.

Eubanks said the elderly are turning to alternative ways to treat their ailments.

“People use it for sleep, chronic pain, chronic disorders. We have people that have Parkinson’s disease that come to us, Alzheimer’s, dementia,” she said. “Those people really just need help because they’ve been failed by the traditional medical world.”

But some researchers are sounding the alarm.

Dr. Leila Mohammadi is a cardiologist and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. She advises caution for older adults using cannabis.

Mohammadi recently published a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.

The three-year-long clinical study tested healthy 18 to 50-year-olds who smoked marijuana or ingested edibles three times a week.

Researchers discovered that long-term cannabis use is associated with vascular dysfunction.

“We were surprised to see how significantly these people have poorer vascular function compared to non-users, like ever users, basically,” Mohammadi said.

She warned that there are more consequences for the aging population using marijuana.

“This person is in higher risk of cardiovascular events, heart attack, stroke,” Mohammadi said. “Their vessels are already damaged.”

Back in Isleton, the 420 Club members enjoy the cannabis cafe at the Delta Boyz Dispensary.

“I only have to take two or three hits and I feel great,” Watson said.

Bob Ecker is the youngest member of the club at age 66.

“I think it’s wonderful that we can smoke and have fun, not hurt anybody and just enjoy it.”

Richie Goldstein helps organize the monthly trips and meetings.

“It’s kept me pretty young at 79,” he said.

He noted his first experience with cannabis was smoking a joint at a civil rights demonstration 60 years ago.

The UCSF study also found that eating THC edibles puts stress on the heart.

Mohammadi said they plan to focus their next study on seniors’ marijuana use, with the 420 Club members ready to participate.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Emily Maher, Jennifer Eagan, Tim Nazzaro

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    BOSTON (WCVB) — A Babson College student wanted to surprise her parents on Thanksgiving by flying out to Texas to meet them.

Instead, she was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Any Lucia Lopez Belloca, 19, was at Logan Airport on Nov. 20 when she was informed for the first time that she had a removal order from immigration authorities, according to her lawyer, Todd Pomerlau.

At 4 p.m., she called her family and told them she was being held at the ICE field office in Burlington.

As of Wednesday, she is currently in Honduras.

“When she got to the airport to board her flight, she was asked to step aside by federal agencies because they alleged that she had a final order of removal,” said Nayna Gupta, a member of the American Immigration Council. “These are folks who may have received removal notices when they were children and were never told.”

In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said:

“On Nov. 20, 2025, Officers with ICE and CBP Boston arrested Any Lucia Lopez Belloca, an illegal alien from Honduras, at Logan International Airport Boston when attempting to board a flight.

Lopez Belloca unlawfully entered the United States from Mexico. A Justice Department immigration judge ordered Lopez Belloca removed from the United States on June 2, 2015. Lopez Belloca was removed from the United States to Honduras on Nov. 22, 2025.

Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is committed to prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from American communities.”

Babson College sent a letter to its student body Monday, confirming one of its students was detained by federal immigration authorities while traveling home for Thanksgiving.

“We understand that this news may feel unsettling, particularly for our students, faculty, and staff who may already be navigating uncertainty,” the letter read. “Our ability to share specifics is limited by law, but please know that our focus remains on supporting the student and their family, as well as the wellbeing of our community.”

The college says it is following established protocols for situations involving federal authorities.

It is also providing resources for students, faculty and staff impacted by the incident.

According to a habeas corpus lawsuit, Belloca entered the United States through Mexico in 2014 with her family and without inspection. She was 8 years old at the time.

Belloca was arrested by ICE officers later that year but released on personal recognizance.

At some point after her entry, Belloca’s lawyer says she applied for asylum.

In 2017, allegedly without Belloca’s knowledge, she was ordered to be removed from the country. She was 11 years old at the time and continued living in the United States without incident.

The lawsuit claims Belloca’s Fifth Amendment right to due process was violated during her detainment.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Allison Petro

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    MARION COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Multiple Marion County Fire Rescue employees were arrested and behind bars Wednesday following an alleged “violent hazing” incident involving a new co-worker, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies said the incident occurred at Fire Station 21 located in Ocala on Nov. 16 and involved a 19-year-old co-worker who’s only been with the department for five months.

According to documents obtained by WESH 2, the victim said he was already being harassed that day when co-workers rubbed grease on him and later threw out his belongings after one co-worker started a false rumor about him disposing of leftover pizza.

Later in the day, court documents state the victim told his co-workers that his large follower count on Instagram was tied to a since-deleted Tik Tok video showing his dancing.

The co-workers tried to find the video but couldn’t.

The victim told prosecutors, as the day continued, one of the defendants would throw his work boots in the parking lot.

He said when he went to retrieve them, he was grabbed from behind and held by two other defendants while a third pulled down his pants and underwear and hit him with a belt, attempting to get him to tell them his phone password.

The victim was then dragged across the parking lot, where the firefighters reportedly used a water bottle and towel to waterboard him three times.

Deputies said 22-year-old Edward Kenny III, 22-year-old Seth Day and 19-year-old Tate Trauthwein were arrested for kidnapping, robbery and battery.

Kaylee Bradley, 25, was arrested for robbery and principal/accessory to robbery.

“During this whole incident, the victim fought and refused to cooperate and made it abundantly clear to each of them that this was outside of what he thought maybe could be perceived as something minor,” said Sheriff Billy Woods.

The firefighters were terminated, according to James Banta, the chief of Marion County Fire Rescue.

“Their behavior does not reflect who we are and what we stand for,” Banta said.

“What occurred was unacceptable, inexcusable, and fundamentally contrary to the core values of our fire department.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Britt Leoni

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    NAPLES, Florida (WBBH) — On Friday mornings at Vi at Bentley Village, a group of ladies gathers, needles in hand.

“I’m not a great sewer, but I do enjoy doing things with my hands,” said Pat Smart. “I said, oh, let me see what this is all about.”

Women like Smart don’t sew often, but when they do, they’re sewing stuffed bears.

“It’s so satisfying when you can make them because, as you can see, they’re so cute,” said Smart.

The bears didn’t happen on the first stitch, but in time, thanks to the head of this group, who has been sewing her own bears for the past eight years.

“I thought, oh, let me make some bears for these kids,” said Kathy Swift.

Swift has donated the 2000 bears she’s sewn to kids at Golisano Children’s Hospital.

While she’s a pro on her own, six weeks ago, she started her sewing group after realizing she didn’t have to do it alone.

“There’s probably enough material to make a good 500 more bears … so keep going, ladies!” said Swift.

Now that Swift’s husband has died, not only is this a way to do good, it’s a way to make friends.

“At this age, we’re not busy anymore. We’re all home more than we ever were before, so at least we’re doing something positive,” Swift said.

“I’ve been here for 8 years and probably met…all of these ladies were people I didn’t know, so it brings people together,” Smart said.

While not everyone in this group is a natural seamstress, they don’t have to be. What really matters is the heart behind each thread.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By James Stratton

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    KENOSHA, Wis. (WISN) — Chintan Thakkar, 44, voluntarily walked into the Kenosha County intake court Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutors previously charged him with felony theft and money laundering of more than $100,000.

Thakkar and Jagdishkumar Nandani are accused of scamming a Kenosha woman out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold bars.

“They’re ruining the lives of all seniors, it’s senior exploitation, it’s abuse,” said the victim in the case, who agreed to do an interview with 12 News, but didn’t want her name shared.

A man who called her eventually convinced her that her bank accounts had been hacked and were being used for crime. She told WISN 12 News someone on the phone convinced her he was a federal agent and it was safer to transfer her life savings to gold.

The woman gave away $332,750 in gold on March 1 and $139,500 on March 15 at her home on Kenosha’s north side. Prosecutors say Nandani was the courier in the scheme, picking up gold from the victim. In total, she tells 12 News she lost more than $653,000 and sold her house because she thought it was part of the scheme.

Prosecutors say Thakkar and Nandani were getting orders from a WhatsApp text group from overseas.

“The group was used to communicate instructions for pickups and provided photographs of money, gold, and victim information,” Kenosha District Attorney Xavier Solis said.

Thakkar’s attorney moved to dismiss the case in court Wednesday.

“There’s nothing that alleges or provides probable cause to believe my client was involved in any way with the case that is charged here in Kenosha County,” attorney Carl Johnson said.

Court Commissioner William Michel denied the motion and ordered Thakkar to be taken into custody and held on a $25,000 bond. Bailiffs arrested him in court after the hearing was finished. His attorney told the court he had enough cash to post bail.

Thakkar’s attorney had no comment for 12 News. A warrant is still out for the arrest of Nandani, according to Wisconsin court records.

12 News has been investigating gold bar schemes for more than a year. Government officials warn that they will never request that you buy gold or other precious metals. If you believe you have been scammed, the FBI wants you to report it here.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.