Author: CNN Newsource

By Jacquelyn Quinones

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    SALINAS, Calif. (KSBW) — More than a month after 14-year-old Alisal High School student Ethan Emmanuel Rodriguez was shot and killed near the campus, police have arrested a 16-year-old student from the same school district.

The incident occurred on December 5, a Friday afternoon, near Camarillo and Moreno shortly after school let out. Salinas Union High School District staff confirmed that witnesses came forward to assist with the investigation.

“I think I want to express some gratitude to the community members, to the students, to the families that came forward to really identify some of the aspects that were needed in this investigation,” Superintendent for Salinas Union High School District, Zandra Galvan, said.

Salinas police stated that the investigation remains active, and they cannot release much information since the suspect is a juvenile.

“We’re working through the District Attorney’s Office and our investigation team to see if there is any other information, other suspects, or anything else because he is a juvenile as well, we’re not allowed to provide any other information, and the investigation is ongoing,” Salinas Police Chief Carlos Acosta said.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the incident was gang-related.

The district emphasized its strict safety measures, noting that while the incident did not occur on campus, it is reinforcing its commitment to student safety.

“We have a system that when people sign into our campuses, we’re making sure that you are properly identified and that you can be on our campuses within the area of students we also have security team members anywhere from 7 to 8 people that are designated as campus safety,” Galvan said.

Additionally, the district highlighted the use of high-speed cameras capturing footage during school hours and in surrounding areas to maintain safe facilities.

“We have high-speed cameras that are capturing footage during the school and around, so some of the footage is also directed to the streets and other areas that remain watched so that we can maintain safe facilities,” Galvan said.

The Salinas Union High School District has made counseling and support services available to anyone affected by the incident.

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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    TULSA, Okla. (KJRH) — Behind the roar of engines at the Chili Bowl Nationals is a quiet army of workers making the iconic racing event possible.

Truck drivers like Martin Edwards have been transforming the Tulsa Expo Center from an empty building into a dirt racing paradise for two decades. The massive undertaking requires hauling hundreds of truckloads of dirt in marathon shifts.

“We store the dirt about 2-3 miles down the road. So, it’s the same dirt every year. We have to add a few loads every so many years just from stuff we lose from getting stuff thrown off the racetrack and too much trash getting in it,” Edwards said. “They go off the racetrack and stuck on cars and in the pits and then gets picked up and who knows where it goes. So, we have to replenish every 5-10 years. We have to get find a few loads here and there.”

Edwards says most people don’t realize the scope of their work. His team installs every barricade, fence post and cable for the weeklong event.

This year they broke their own record by completing the setup in just over a week. About 750-850 truckloads of dirt takes an entire day to deliver to the arena alone. This year they used over 20 trucks to help with this effort.

We went behind the scenes of the Chili Bowl Nationals to see how all of their work transforms the venue into racing paradise.

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 Brisa Colón

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    FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A frightening morning for a local mail carrier. In broad daylight, a thief is captured on video approaching a mailman in Central Fresno and robbing him at gunpoint.

The gunman then walked off and is still on the run. This all happened in a neighborhood off Hammond Avenue near Fruit Avenue.

It was 11 Thursday morning when a mailman was on his daily route in Central Fresno.

Doorbell video captured a man wearing all black appear from the sidewalk. A different view shows the man with a hand in his pocket- cross the grass to approach the mailman. That’s when police say he pulled out a gun and in a matter of seconds robbed the mail carrier.

But it was the moment right after, the mailman continued to deliver the mail to one more house as the robber walked off. The postman then approached a nearby car to ask for help.

“Give it up to the mailman, who actually finished delivering the mail right after it happened, and then finally it all kind of caught up to him once the guy was gone,” says Jephrey Neville, neighbor.

Police say the armed robber took off with the mailman’s phone, wallet, and keys, including keys to his mail van. The robber did not take his bag of mail.

The postman, thankfully, uninjured.

Authorities say the robber used what appeared to be a black handgun.

Police and federal law enforcement were on scene in minutes canvassing the area for a trace of the suspect who could now face federal charges.

“Shocked, I’m shocked why? He has no money,” says Dan Saunders, neighbor.

“He’s our favorite mailman, you know, I was telling the officer, mailman should only have to be worried about dogs and everything and not being robbed at gunpoint,” says Neville.

Neville was left heartbroken; he couldn’t believe this happened to his neighborhood mailman.

“I wanted to give him a hug. The first thing I went up, I shook his hand. I told him I was really sorry, it just shouldn’t happen to people like that,” says Neville.

At this point, the US Postal Service authorities are handling the investigation.

Action News has learned that there is a reward for anyone who has information leading to the suspect, that reward could be up to 150-thousand dollars.

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 Sadie Buggle

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    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — In 2016, an orange cat bolted out the front door of his family’s home in Colorado Springs and disappeared. Last week, nearly a decade after he went missing, a routine microchip scan led him to finally be reunited with his family, who say after all these years they never thought the reunion would come.

The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) said Kennedy, an orange cat “with a healthy sense of independence,” went missing from his home ten years ago after he bolted out the front door and didn’t come back. His family searched extensively, posting flyers and filing reports, but over time, leads ran out.

“After years of waiting, his family had to accept the heartbreaking possibility that their little orange adventurer might be gone forever,” the shelter said.

Until about a week ago.

Ten years after Kennedy’s disappearance, a Good Samaritan brought an orange cat into HSPPR, who they said had been roaming their neighborhood for months.

Staff scanned him for identification, which is when they discovered a registered microchip containing his name and the contact information of the family, who had reported him missing over a decade earlier.

“Kennedy’s family could hardly believe what they were hearing. After ten long years, their cat, their baby, their 2016 mystery, was finally coming home,” HSPPR said in a social media post.

The shelter says stories like Kennedy’s are exactly why microchips are so crucial. Unlike collars or tags, microchips provide permanent identification that cannot be lost or removed. Clinics and shelters also routinely scan found animals, making microchips one of the most reliable ways to reconnect pets with their owners – even years later.

“When a pet gets separated from their people, a microchip gives us the fastest, easiest way to bring them back where they belong,” the shelter 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 Andrew Adams

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    SPRINGVILLE (KSL) — Family members on Thursday were remembering a Utah man killed in an avalanche in Wyoming as an adventurer who loved life and others around him.

According to his family, 31-year-old Nicholas Bringhurst was snowmobiling with one of his good friends Sunday in the backcountry near Star Valley when the avalanche came down.

Mother Cindy Bringhurst and other family and friends gathered Thursday afternoon and were reflecting on Nicholas’ life, including “his smile, his laugh, the joy he brought everybody.”

“One thing you’ll notice in a lot of Nicholas’ pictures is his smile,” the mother said during an interview with KSL. “He was just always there, loving others.”

Bringhurst described her son as an outdoorsman from the start, learning to snowmobile and waterski at the age of 4 and snowboard at the age of 5.

She said Nick met his wife when they were both working as river guides in Moab, and their outdoor adventures together were an ongoing part of their marriage.

“They loved rafting; he loves kayaking,” she said.

Bringhurst said her son was an extremely experienced snowmobiler and was well-equipped when he went out Sunday with his friend, Caden Spencer.

The mother called Spencer “our hero,” after he did what he could to save Nicholas’ life.

Spencer told KSL they had gone snowmobiling “hundreds of times” and it was a beautiful day before the avalanche struck.

“He was a dang good snowmobiler,” Spencer said, still visibly emotional over the unexpected loss.

Cindy Bringhurst said the family had a home at the south end of Star Valley, and it was a regular occasion for her son to go with his wife and friends into the outdoors there.

“We have loved our time up there with Nicholas and Lauren,” the mother said. “Because of this house, the last 4 1/2 years we got a lot of really quality time with Nicholas and Lauren when they would come up and we were all together.”

Relatives set up a GoFundMe* account to help Bringhurst’s widow in the near term with expenses.

The family shared many pictures of the couple appearing happy together in the outdoors.

“As we’re going through all these pictures, the thing that I love seeing is that he was with Lauren,” Cindy Bringhurst said.

She said she hoped others would reflect on how her son lived his life.

“That’s what I want people to take away from it,” Cindy Bringhurst said. “Live your life, live big and love other people.”

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

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    PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — The Miami Hurricanes are set to compete for a national championship against Indiana, and fans and alumni are eagerly anticipating the game, drawing comparisons to past successes.

Roderick Carter, a former linebacker and 1987 national champion and Greenacres resident, reflected on the current team’s potential.

“It brings me back to the glory days. Brings me back to where we were competing at a high level,” Carter said.

He is now a behavior coach and case manager with the Palm Beach County School District, and says he sees similarities between his championship team and this year’s squad.

“I know there’s a lot of analysis and experts, you know, thinking that Miami is going to come up short. I just think that we have what it takes, you know, to be victorious come Monday night,” Carter said.

Fans are equally enthusiastic, especially after the team’s recent victory over Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl.

Canes fan Daniela Battisti said the win has bolstered their belief in the team’s ability to secure the championship.

“I think our defense has been really great this year. Our defense and our offense, we have some really great players; Malachi Toney has been killing it. Shout out to him, he’s amazing,” Battisti said.

The last national championship win for the Hurricanes was in 2001, and many current fans weren’t even born then. However, the spirit of the “U” remains strong.

The University of Miami is hosting a students-only watch party on campus Monday night, adding to the excitement surrounding the game.

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 Allison Petro & Spencer Tracy

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    LONGWOOD, Florida (WESH) — A man was shot by police at a Longwood gas station after officers responded to a mental health call that escalated into a dangerous situation on Tuesday night.

The Longwood Police Department responded to a convenience store at 1001 West State Road 434 around 9:11 p.m. after reports of an armed, suicidal man inside.

Once police arrived, they attempted to de-escalate the situation by speaking with the man.

However, police said he did not comply and kept his hands hidden inside his waistband.

Police said the man then suddenly moved his hands in a way the officer believed was threatening, causing the officer to fire his weapon and strike the man.

Officers immediately provided first aid until fire rescue arrived. The man was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive.

No officers were injured in the incident.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting an independent investigation, which is standard in cases like this.

Longwood police said this remains an active investigation.

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 Dave Elias

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    FORT MYERS, Florida (WBBH) — A bill sponsored by Republican state Rep. Mike Giallombardo proposes mandatory AI education in Florida state schools starting as early as the fifth grade, with teachers and students expressing support for the initiative.

Biology major Xhesi Bano said, “Early on, teaching kids how to use it in a way to help them, I think it’s a smart way rather than let it get out of hand, and everybody is using it to do their homework.”

FGCU student Kai Inman reflected, “I think if AI was around when I was in 5th grade, I think, of course, teaching to use it responsibly would benefit me in the long run.”

Hospitality major Lilly Bomgardener emphasized, “It is a part of our culture, and it’s not leaving, and I think teaching people how to use it properly is going to help make sure it doesn’t become detrimental to society.”

Dr. Leandro Decastro from FGCU College of Engineering questioned, “How can we teach students to use AI and at the same time ensure they acquire the knowledge that we want them to acquire in our courses?”

Rep. Mike Giallombardo said, “We’re in a race to modernize the technology, against our adversaries.”

He added, “It really starts as early as 5th or 6th grade.”

The bill would need to pass in both the House and Senate and be signed by the governor before AI classes become part of the mandatory curriculum.

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.