Author: CNN Newsource

By Andrea Flores

Click here for updates on this story

    RANCHO CORDOVA, California (KCRA) — A new mother from Rancho Cordova reunited with the police officers who saved her life after she was hit by a car while pregnant. She also introduced them to her daughter, who was born soon after their medical intervention.

Earlier this summer, Nicole Clancy was struck by a car while crossing Coloma Road in Rancho Cordova after a driver ran a red light.

“When I got on scene, I did see a pedestrian in the middle of the road, down. She appeared to be injured and not moving,” said Rancho Cordova officer David Tsverov.

“I was at the intersection when I was crossing, and I just remember waking up in the ambulance,” Clancy recounted.

She was taken to UC Davis Medical Center, where she underwent an emergency C-section.

Clancy’s daughter Mackenzie was born premature, 12 weeks before her due date, weighing just 2 pounds, 11 ounces.

Clancy’s aunt, Lori Bergenstock, described Mackenzie as a “warrior princess.”

“We went in and got to see her and she was so tiny, but she didn’t look sick and she didn’t look weak, so we call her our warrior princess,” she said. “It’s a miracle they’re OK.”

Mackenzie spent a month in the NICU, and the nurses described her as “spicy,” which they said was a good sign. While Clancy is still recovering from her injuries, including a broken clavicle, humerus, and a hairline nasal fracture, Mackenzie is now a healthy nine pounds and hitting all of her milestones.

“It felt good to have them behind us and taking care of us,” Clancy said, expressing gratitude for the first responders.

The reunion brought smiles to the officers’ faces.

The driver involved in the crash stopped at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. Mackenzie turns four months old on Saturday, and Clancy is back to running.

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 Aliyah Chavez

Click here for updates on this story

    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — The Halloween season has officially kicked off at the Huskisson House in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights, where owner Bryan Huskisson has crafted a spooky experience in his backyard for the community using hours of work and personal funds.

7-year-old Presley and 9-year-old Maximus were the first brave souls to walk through this year’s haunted maze, and their reactions are part of the reason Huskisson continues to build the display.

The haunted house can be found at 7725 William Moyers Ave NE Albuquerque, NM 87122.

“I do a little something in the morning, a little something in the evening, and every weekend,” Huskisson said, describing the effort it takes to construct the display, which takes 12 weeks to build and 2 to 3 months to dismantle.

He has been doing this for the last 12 years, using money from his own pocket. “It’s a spooky number… and it’s not just the animatronics. It’s the spray paint, duct tape, the screws. I spent four hundred dollars on screws because we have over 500 pallets in this build,” he said.

The house features spiders popping out, rotten pumpkins, and spooky skeletons, creating a thrilling experience for visitors.

“We’ve reached a peak here,” Huskisson said. A team of 12 dedicated volunteers helps bring the display to life.

The house is open from Oct. 28 through Oct. 31 from dusk to 9:30 p.m. On Halloween, it will remain open until the last person shows up.

The experience is free, but Huskisson asks visitors to bring non-perishable food donations, which are turned over to the YMCA to make gift baskets for Thanksgiving for needy families.

“If I can create something that brings a little bit of joy, especially in our day and age with all that’s going on by doing all this, I’ll continue to do it as long as people show up,” Huskisson said.

Presley and Maximus preferred this year’s house over last year’s because “it was longer and scarier.” Last year, Huskisson collected more than 2,000 food donations and hopes to gather even more this year. He also asks visitors to be respectful of his neighbors.

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 Martin Augustine

Click here for updates on this story

    KANSAS CITY (KMBC) — One Lee’s Summit, Missouri, man with a familiar face brings energy and spirit to his Chiefs fandom. But that’s not the only thing he’s passionate about.

Matt Black is an opera singer and fixture of the opera scene in Kansas City, usually cast in at least a couple of shows a year at the Lyric Opera.

He’s played all sorts of roles, which is a big part of the fun – pairing his love of singing with the excitement of diving into new characters.

Of course, there’s one role he might be best known for.

Black is also known for the character he calls “Almost Andy Reid.”

He’s garnered plenty of social media attention with his performance, and he was even hired as an extra for one of Reid’s TV commercials. A production assistant on set even tried to take him to Reid’s dressing room, thinking he was the real deal.

Black has a natural resemblance to Chiefs head coach, but he’s also studied how the real Reid walks and talks.

“Fortunately, a lot of that comes naturally because we’re both big guys,” he said with a laugh. “Although he’s lost weight and looks great. Coach, eat a cheeseburger, you hear me!”

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 Alyse Jones

Click here for updates on this story

    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — An Oklahoma teacher is making her classroom a safe space for students in more ways than one.

As the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is just days away from freezing on Nov. 1, Morgan Schmidt, a leadership teacher at Putnam City High School in Oklahoma, is addressing food insecurity by transforming her classroom into a food pantry for students.

Schmidt initially provided hygiene products like soap, deodorant and feminine products to her students. For the teacher, creating a shame-free space to help meet students’ needs has been a goal for years.

“It’s right by the door, so they don’t have to say a word to me. They can just walk in, grab what they need and go,” Schmidt said.

Now, Schmidt is expanding her efforts to include food, creating a pantry where students can take what they need without feeling embarrassed.

“It’s scary to ask for help, and sometimes it can be embarrassing, and they’re kids. They don’t deserve to be hungry,” she said.

Putnam City Schools has food pantries in every high school, accessible to elementary and middle school students, as well. The district also offers after-school snack and supper programs through counselors.

“A lot of our kids, they’re self-conscious of that. They’re embarrassed. They don’t want to look like the kid that needs help,” Schmidt said.

To address this, Schmidt created a pantry where students can come and go without questions.

She reached out on Facebook for donations and received nearly 200 items in less than 24 hours. Schmidt is encouraging students to spread the word about the Pirate Pantry to peers who might need a meal.

“If those SNAP benefits aren’t going to be available, teachers are going to take care of our kids. Yes, you might not be mine biologically, but you’re in my class. You’re in our school. You’re our kids,” Schmidt said.

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 Eddie Messel

Click here for updates on this story

    OMAHA (KETV) — This might come as a surprise to some, but the biggest Taylor Swift fan may be from Omaha.

Frank Uryasz, 95, started a Taylor Swift fan club at the Remington Heights Retirement Community in Omaha in hopes of attracting the singer’s attention and a visit.

The initiative began when a worker expressed disappointment to Uryasz that Swift hadn’t responded to her letters.

“That’s when she said what am I going to do and I said I know some people,” Uryasz said.

The 95-year-old took action by starting his own Taylor Swift fan club.

“We limited the club to 10 originally and then 20 and now it’s 100,” he said.

The club is pretty exclusive.

“Someone has to sponsor you if you’re not a member of Remington,” he said.

The fan club has gained attention from Swifties nationwide, including Molly from North Carolina, who sent cookies and friendship bracelets to Uryasz and the club.

“Very interesting that someone would go through that much trouble to make bracelets for us,” Uryasz said.

When asked what he would say to Taylor Swift if she were to watch, Uryasz expressed his desire for her to visit.

When asked what he would say to the superstar if he had the chance, Uryasz said, “I’d say please come and see us, we need you very much and with his permission I’d give her a hug.”

Efforts to bring Taylor Swift to Omaha are underway, with plans to hand-deliver an envelope to her circle in Kansas City.

“It’s of course a picture of me, what else do you need?” Uryasz said.

The envelope contains not only a picture of Uryasz but also letters to Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift, as Uryasz is a lifelong Chiefs fan.

“We’re having a wonderful time with this and we hope to get the two of them to come, if not one. Kelce will have to stay home and play football,” he said.

With his walker adorned with a custom T-Swift decal, Uryasz and the club are hopeful for some good “karma.”

“If things go right, I can’t say anything but thank gosh,” he said.

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 Ava Rash

Click here for updates on this story

    FORD CITY, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — During Jessica Mauthe’s preliminary hearing in Armstrong County on Tuesday, Pennsylvania State Police troopers said four dead babies were found inside her home, some of which they say had been there for years.

Mauthe faced a judge and Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, but had no comments about her case.

Troopers testified that the dead babies were found in various parts of the home she was renting on Oak Lane, including her children’s toy room closet.

Troopers said that during an interview with Mauthe, she detailed each birth and how at least two of the births dated back five to six years, one as recent as a year and a half to two years ago.

Those births, a trooper said, happened in her bathroom. She then allegedly took the dead infants and hid them away in the home.

Authorities say the investigation began when Mauthe was evicted from a home in Cadogan Township. The landlord previously told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that while clearing the home, he discovered a deceased baby wrapped in plastic in a closet.

Her attorney, Chuck Pascal, said there was no scientific evidence provided during the hearing, and she could have dreamed up the whole scenario she told police.

“You have got to question everything Ms. Mauthe may have said, whether it was accurate or not; she may not know,” he said. “I want everybody to keep an open mind until the end of the case.”

A judge sided with the commonwealth and held all charges against Mauthe, including homicide and involuntary manslaughter.

The case will now head to the court of common pleas.

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 Caleb Califano

Click here for updates on this story

    FORT PIERCE, Florida (WPBF) — A man is facing several felony charges after deputies say he led them on a dangerous chase through multiple populated areas of St. Lucie County Monday evening before crashing in Fort Pierce.

Deputies say 34-year-old Brian Lassonde of Altamonte Springs was behind the wheel of a U-Haul truck that sped through a Winn-Dixie parking lot in Lakewood Park around 5 p.m. Monday. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office says Lassonde forced multiple cars off the road and even intentionally hit two of them as he fled down a Turnpike feeder road.

Body camera video shows the chaotic end to the chase, when Lassonde crashed near Avenue H and U.S. 1 in Fort Pierce. The truck hit several vehicles, damaged traffic signs, and broke a water main. One woman was taken to the hospital with injuries.

“This was a significantly dangerous situation, and there was a blatant disregard by this driver for anybody’s safety or well-being in the public,” said Andrew Bolonka with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.

Vlad Bradescu, owner of Swift Grill near the crash site, said the scene was unlike anything he’d seen before.

“It’s unbelievable. I couldn’t believe he made it all this way,” he said. “I was just hoping everyone was okay. It was just more about figuring out what he did and why.”

Bradescu said his restaurant lost water for about five hours due to the damaged water main.

Lassonde was taken into custody and is facing multiple felony charges, including three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

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 Tony Atkins

Click here for updates on this story

    MAITLAND, Florida (WESH) — A proposed – and partially built – swimming pool is creating tension between longtime neighbors in a Maitland community.

The dispute centers on one man’s plan to build the pool in his front yard.

Jason White and Robbie Taylor have lived across the street from each other for more than 20 years. But White says they haven’t spoken in years, and the pool project has made things worse.

“They started construction. They dug the hole. There’s some rebar, rough-in plumbing so far. Then a hold was held on the permit,” White said.

White believes the front-yard pool violates Seminole County’s land development code and could cause flooding issues since his home sits downhill from Taylor’s.

“My biggest concern is flooding,” White said. “I live downhill, and that’s how my house was bought. I can deal with it, just like their house was bought with a weird yard.”

On Monday, the Seminole County Board of Adjustors approved Taylor’s plan to continue building the pool after a temporary stop on the permit.

“The applicants proceeded with construction, but it was stopped when it was discovered that the pool was issued in error,” said Kathy Hammel, the county’s principal planner.

For now, a black tarp covers the front yard project. The board’s approval allows construction to continue as long as the pool isn’t visible from the street.

“We do want our privacy, so we’ll definitely have something that’s going to be blocking it,” Taylor said.

Hammel noted the county will still need to review fencing plans. “We need to be mindful of the variances for the fence,” she said. “A six-foot private fence may not meet the setbacks.”

Some neighbors, like Rick Anderson, say they don’t see a problem with the front-yard pool.

“It’s a tough situation,” Anderson said. “From a visual standpoint, most of the neighborhood does not see it as a detriment.”

But White disagrees.

“It’s going to decrease my property values, increase my flooding chances, and it’s just an eyesore for my front yard,” he said. “I look in my front yard, I’m going to see somebody in a pool.”

White said he plans to appeal the board’s decision to the Seminole County Board of Commissioners.

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.