Author: CNN Newsource

By Christine Stoddard

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    OROVILLE, California (KHSL) — Oroville Hospital nurses voiced concern over how HR-1 federal funding cuts will affect their patients at a Red Alert rally at the Southside Oroville Community Center on Saturday.

Oroville Hospital nurses represented by the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United held a Red Alert rally and community awareness event. The rally focused on the financial threat posed by HR-1 budget cuts to the hospital and its patients.

“Our population is vulnerable,” said See Vang, a registered nurse at Oroville Hospital. “They’re elderly. They live in fifth-wheelers trailers after the fire in 2018. And they’re very vulnerable. And we rely so much on Medicare and Medicaid to keep our hospital running.”

National Nurses United has put Oroville Hospital on a Red Alert status due to the financial threat of HR-1 budget cuts. More than 85% of the hospital’s net revenue comes from Medicaid and Medicare, federal programs now facing more than a trillion dollars in cuts.

Organizers say that rather than fund ICE, the Iran war and billionaire tax breaks, the money should go toward nonprofit and community hospitals like Oroville. Already bankrupt, Oroville is one of 600 hospitals identified by National Nurses United for being at high risk due to HR-1 cuts.

“You know, as a registered nurse, I don’t feel threatened for my job,” Vang said. “But I do worry about our community and the patients that actually do rely on the hospital for their care.”

National Nurses United has even commissioned a children’s book to help kids understand the importance of having a hospital right in their community: Medi Bear Saves the Hospital.

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 Denzen Cortez

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    FOLSOM, California (KCRA) — A group of Vista del Lago High School sophomores in Folsom has raised more than $50,000 for local classrooms through a running fundraiser they created in middle school.

The students Asher Chang, Minho Kim, Rocco Jerwers, Jack Armstrong and Landon Simpson organize the event called Lace Up for Learning, which includes a 5K, 10K and a kids fun run.

The five have been friends since sixth grade and share a passion for running, competing together in track and cross country. Organizers say the fundraiser began as an idea Chang had in eighth grade to give back to classrooms in need, and the group worked together to bring it to life.

“We offer a 5K, 10K and kids fun run. It’s created by the five of us,” Chang said.

The fundraiser supports teacher-requested classroom needs across the Sacramento region through the DonorsChoose platform, which allows organizers to select specific projects to fund.

“We donate all the proceeds through a platform called DonorsChoose, which allows us to select which teachers to donate to across schools across Sacramento,” Chang said. “We support things like calculators, Chromebook chargers and school libraries. We support a wide variety of requests.”

This year marked the third event, with more than 200 participants and a fundraising goal of $20,000. As of race day, organizers said they were close to reaching that goal.

Participants said the event helps support teachers, who often pay for classroom supplies out of pocket, while also teaching students the importance of giving back.

Parents of the organizers said they have seen the fundraiser grow each year and praised the group’s commitment to supporting their community.

Those who would like to donate or support classroom projects can do so by visiting the Lace Up for Learning website.

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 Seaver

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KSBW) — Dr. Michael Davis, a longtime physician at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, has completed 100 marathons and is sharing his passion for running to inspire others.

When you walk into the inpatient rehab unit at the hospital, you will likely see Davis greeting patients.

“How you doing? I’m good,” Davis said.

Davis has been a doctor at the hospital for 32 years and the director of its inpatient rehab program for the last nine.

“We help people get back on their feet, literally,” Davis said. “Folks who have had stroke or brain injury, amputation.”

The former Army doctor and pediatric physical therapist is passionate about his work and finds inspiration in the resilience of his patients.

“To see the struggles they go through is motivation for me,” Davis said. “Just to be able to be physically fit, I feel so fortunate, and I feel a responsibility to use that.”

At 72, Davis is also an avid runner who has completed 100 marathons.

“I didn’t start marathoning until I was 55. But I got hooked,” Davis said.

Davis, a former soccer player, signed up for his first marathon on a whim less than three months before the race. He received training advice from a colleague who introduced him to Olympian Jeff Galloway’s run/walk method.

“Before run/walk, I always thought of running as being punishing, it’s punitive, but run/walk isn’t,” Davis said. “Run/walk is joy-producing for me. I don’t even listen to music. I don’t feel like I need to. I just enjoy the process.”

Davis met Galloway the day before his first Big Sur International Marathon and ended up running it with him. Since then, every marathon Davis has completed has been done using the run/walk method.

He now teaches the method to others through his Fleet Feet running group.

“Folks who really never thought they could ever be a marathoner have now done marathons,” Davis said. “Jeff Galloway, my hero and mentor, he made running and distance running accessible to the general population. And what a gift to humanity.”

From 2009 to 2026, Davis has completed 100 marathons, including 15 Big Sur International Marathons, as well as races like the California International Marathon, Honolulu Marathon, and Austin Marathon.

“I’m proud of having done that. Marathons are hard. Everyone I’ve done is hard. But so is life,” Davis said. “Life did, does, and will give us challenges. And how do we prepare ourselves to overcome obstacles? Marathoning is a way to do that.”

He added, “Where is the accomplishment in doing only what we’re good at, what’s easy? The accomplishment is in challenging oneself and overcoming that challenge.”

Davis also uses his running to promote fitness, citing a recent Harvard study that concluded physically fit individuals can add four to eight years of healthy longevity to their lives.

“I want to promote fitness for longevity, for healthy longevity, for feeling good, for good mood. And I love supporting people to accomplish something they never thought they were going to be able to do,” Davis said.

It is a message he is determined to share, one mile and one marathon at a time.

“I don’t know if I’ll make it to 100, but at least I want to give it a stab. I want to keep going,” Davis 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 Erin Clark

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    MONTEREY, California (KSBW) — Dan Shapiro is training for the Boston 2 Big Sur challenge, which involves running the Boston Marathon on Patriots Day and the Big Sur Marathon six days later.

“I run for four minutes and then I walk for 30 seconds and then run for four minutes and walk for 30 seconds and do the whole marathon like that,” Shapiro said. “Before I started using this method, I ran a marathon. I could barely walk for like a month after my first run.”

Shapiro said active recovery during the race makes all the difference and allows him to complete two iconic marathons back-to-back.

“On Boston, you have the spectators encouraging you away. And then in Big Sur, you just have that beautiful view. I mean, to be able to run up Highway One that’s closed off to traffic, there’s just nothing like it,” Shapiro said.

A week and a half before the Big Sur Marathon, Shapiro began his journey across the country, taking a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Boston. He landed in the early hours of the morning and had a few days to rest and acclimate before race day.

“With a marathon, you never know how you are going to feel, so we’ll see how it goes. It’s fun being here. The excitement, all the runners here. You’ve never seen so many fit people in one place, it’s incredible,” Shapiro said.

On race day, Shapiro joined 30,000 runners at the starting line. He admitted to feeling some anxiety but settled into the race once it began.

During miles 23 and 24, Shapiro faced a challenging stretch.

“During those miles 23 and 24 where I was really struggling, I was thinking, or trying not to think, I have to do this again in six days! But once it’s done, I’m kind of excited. Excited about it, looking forward to it,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro finished the Boston Marathon in under four hours, earning another medal. Back home, he now has his sights set on Big Sur. Confident and eager, Shapiro said he plans to enjoy the scenery and is already planning his next Boston to Big Sur challenge.

On Sunday, April 26th, wake up with KSBW 8’s exclusive live coverage of the Big Sur International Marathon.

The race begins at 6:45 a.m., with KSBW coverage starting at 7 a.m. in a special edition of Action News 8 Weekend Sunrise and streaming live on Very Local.

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 Melea VanOstrand

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    CARMEL, Indiana (WRTV) — A Hamilton County fire department will be one of the first in the country to use augmented-reality helmets to help firefighters see through smoke.

The Carmel Fire Department says it’s the only department in the Midwest that will use the technology called C-THRU from Qwake Technologies.

Tim Griffin, the department’s public information officer, said, “It gives you not just possibly a body here, or a warm spot here, it outlines it. It’s almost like a sci-fi movie. You look at it and you think, this is the future.”

It’s designed for one of the most dangerous challenges firefighters face: zero visibility.

Inside a smoke-filled mock house, the helmet used augmented reality and thermal imaging to help navigate rooms, see heat signatures, and find people.

Griffin said, “It can give you that navigation inside, it gives you those real-time really detailed visuals of what you have inside those buildings.”

The system also livestreams video back to commanders, which will give crews more information in real time. The commanders can send back visual messages through the helmet.

Sam Cossman, co-founder and CEO of Qwake Technologies, said, “The combination of data from both of these places allows us to now, say a structure is going to collapse in a few minutes, get out.”

Carmel is one of 10 U.S. departments that will have access to the technology. The Carmel Fire department will receive 16 helmets and four command tablets by midsummer.

Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam, a Republican, said, “There’s a cost of $375,000 for the three-year pilot period. We are partnering with our Heroes Club here to provide that technology for our Carmel residents.”

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 Morgan Kirsch

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    GRAND BLANC, Michigan (WJRT) — A Lapeer woman who survived being shot by her ex-partner in 2017 is using her art to help other domestic violence survivors.

Stephanie Stamper suffered brain trauma and other injuries that have continued to impact her life.

“I have a second chance at life and I want to do something good with it,” Stamper said.

She turned to art to help her cope with the trauma.

“I started about a year after I was hurt. It was my outlet,” Stamper said. “This kind of gives me purpose.”

Stamper set up shop at the Smetanka Spring Craft Show at Grand Blanc High School on Saturday.

Her business is called Little Dude Skeletons™. She makes skeletons of every size, shape and color by hand.

“Skeletons—everybody has one, so they can reach anybody, any ethnicity, any culture, anything in domestic violence. It touches everybody,” Stamper said.

She calls one of her collections her “battle-cry” collection. Purple represents people who have survived domestic violence and black represents those who have not survived.

A dollar from every craft purchase goes to LACADA, a Lapeer domestic violence shelter and resource center.

Stamper said she had attended free support group meetings the shelter offered on Wednesday evenings. She said having access to something like that during such a difficult time meant a lot to her.

Some of Stamper’s children have also gotten involved, helping her make the crafts and donate to survivors.

“I think it’s awesome what she does—giving back to the community and helping with LACADA. I also help with LACADA, which also makes me happy. So, we work together. It’s kind of like a mom and son duo,” Stamper’s son, Chase, said.

Stamper said many people helped her and her four children after the shooting. She wanted to find a way to give back.

“I didn’t have a way to go back and pay them back, so I figured I could pay it forward,” Stamper said.

Stamper will be setting up to sell her crafts at the Hot Rod and Bike Fest at the Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds in Imlay City, June 20 and 21.

LACADA’s free and confidential help line can be reached at (810) 667-4175.

The YWCA of Greater Flint also provides comprehensive services and crisis interventions for those experiencing domestic violence. The YWCA’s help line can be reached 24/7 at 810-238-7233.

The state of Michigan’s Help & Human Services webpage also lists various state resources for sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking survivors.

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 Pepper Purpura

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — In a town of just over 300 people, a restaurant is more than a place to eat.

It’s where people gather, catch up, and feel known — something customers say they missed during a seven-week closure at Highway 169 American Cafe and Watering Hole.

“It’s nice to have people welcome you by name when you walk in the door,” restaurant regular Harley Weyer said.

That sense of connection is part of what makes the cafe special, and why its temporary closure in March was felt across the community.

Owners Keith and Annette Leslie made the difficult decision to close after Keith began losing feeling in his hands due to a damaged disc in his neck.

“It had gotten to the point that I couldn’t go any further,” Keith said.

He needed major neurological surgery, and with limited staff, and Keith playing a central role in daily operations, the couple decided to shut down so he could focus on recovery.

Annette shared the news in a Facebook post, unsure what kind of response it would bring.

What followed, they say, was overwhelming.

“The support and the love and feedback, phone calls and everything, and all the prayers, it’s just amazing,” Keith said.

Messages poured in from customers encouraging them to take their time and focus on healing. Annette said dozens of messages poured in with similar well-wishes.

“Take care of yourself. We’ll be here. We’ll wait for you,” she said.

For the Leslies, it was reassurance that stepping away wouldn’t mean losing the business they had built, or the community behind it.

“We didn’t come into this thinking this is what we were going to get,” Annette said. “But we did.”

Seven weeks later, the doors are open again.

Customers are returning, the dining room is full, and Keith is back making his rounds, checking in with familiar faces.

“We were packed earlier today. Last night, we were completely full,” Annette said. “We’re full of people, people coming in and checking on how we’re doing.”

For now, the cafe is operating with a limited menu and shorter hours as Keith continues to recover and new staff are trained.

But being back has meant more than just business.

“Having other people care about you, it makes it not seem as bad as it is,” Keith 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 KADN News Staff

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    LAFAYETTE, Louisiana (KADN) — A man has been arrested in connection with a murder that happened more than 30 years ago, according to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Clinton Dronet, 60, is charged with second-degree murder in the 1994 stabbing death of John Perry Meche. Dronet was already in custody at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on unrelated charges when he was rearrested on April 15 for the murder.

Deputies reported they responded to Cameron Street near Pecan Grove Road on Dec. 2, 1994, after receiving a report of a stabbing. They said Meche, 47, was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Investigators explained the case went cold for decades due to a lack of evidence linking a suspect to the murder and limitations in available technology at the time. They added late last year, detectives reviewing the cold case worked with the Acadiana Crime Lab to reexamine and retest evidence.

They noted that work resulted in a successful DNA match that identified Dronet as the suspect, and at the time of his arrest for Meche’s murder, Dronet was already being held on unrelated charges for domestic abuse battery and violation of protective orders.

Sheriff Mark Garber said the arrest reflects the value of sustained commitment and taking a fresh look at evidence.

“Advances in technology also played an important role, allowing investigators to reexamine key pieces of evidence in new ways. That combination ultimately made the difference,” explained Sheriff Garber. “I’m proud of the professionalism and persistence of our detectives that led to this outcome and to finally being able to provide closure in this case.”

A trial date has not been set.

A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story.

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.