Author: CNN Newsource

By A.J. Nwoko

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    HENRICO COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — A 67-year-old collector in Henrico is giving away his late father’s extensive collection of die-cast coin banks after they sat unused in storage for years.

William Birdsong, who describes himself as someone who collects “just about everything,” inherited the miniature metal vehicles from his father, who displayed them throughout his home in the 1990s.

“I just think dad was into the trucks because he always drove a truck,” Birdsong said.

The collection includes dozens of pristine die-cast vehicles in original boxes, featuring various sizes, designs and brand names. Each vehicle functions as a coin bank with a slot on top and a key-operated compartment underneath to retrieve saved money.

“They’re basically just fancy places to put your change,” Birdsong said.

After the collection moved “from one attic to another attic,” Birdsong attempted to sell the items online but found no buyers at any price.

“eBay, I asked my friends on Facebook and nobody seemed to want them at any price,” he said.

Now he’s decided to give them away for free during the holiday season.

“If I can’t give away free toys on Christmas, I’m doing something wrong,” Birdsong said.

His only requirement is that the coin banks go to someone who will appreciate them, whether a charity or an individual child.

“Just trying to get them out to anybody who can enjoy them and maybe give them a good home and puts some pennies in them, God forbid, and save some money,” he said.

The entire collection is available first-come, first-served at no charge.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR’s editorial team 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 Ryan Hill

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    SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A building at Gillespie Airfield is home to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office SWAT and Search & Rescue teams.

But on Thursday, it was home to a reunion between two men that was 50 years in the making.

Lou Shrinkle is visiting the Sheriff’s Office, not because he did anything wrong.

But he was there to meet Ernie Cowan, whom Lou hadn’t seen since 1974.

“I did not thank these guys enough,” Shrinkle said.

“Well, we don’t, we don’t do this for the thanks,” Cowan said.

The thanks are for what happened during January 1974.

“We planned a backpack trip to a place called Sheep Canyon, where I had been multiple times,” Shrinkle said.

Lou and his college buddies are set to head into the mountains in San Diego County.

“They called me up and said the weather’s going to be bad, forget it, we’re out,” Shrinkle said.

Still, Shrinkle braved the weather. He made it to the spring he set out for and set up camp.

“In the middle of the night, all heck broke loose, as you might say. The storm came in full force,” Shrinkle said.

He eventually became stranded in the storm.

Remind you, this is 1974. That means no cell phones, we are so used to having in our pockets at a moment’s notice; no way to let anyone know he needed help. Lou said he was stranded in the storm for he recalled being six days. He burned pages from a book to stay warm.

“I got a mild case of frostbite. My sleeping bag froze up every night, and I would wake up and, you know, rub my feet and take care of as much as I could,” Shrinkle said.

Eventually, the storm broke, and Shrinkle started walking to find a way out.

He told ABC 10News that his friends back at school raised the alarm that he hadn’t returned from the trip.

“When the clear day came, we realized that’s the opportunity for us to launch an all-out search effort,” Cowan said.

Cowan is a longtime volunteer with the Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue team and was a reserve deputy at the time.

He jumped in the helicopter because Cowan knew the search area and had a feeling he could help.

“I pointed in the direction where I wanted to go towards the south, and we headed in that direction, and the pilot slapped me on the arm and said there’s ‘help’ (written) in the snow,” Cowan said.

There was a worry they were too late.

“As we hovered down lower, we saw tracks, and we started following the tracks, and there was Lou, standing on the rock waving at us,” Cowan said.

The rescue may have been how they knew of each other. But it’s not how they met.

“When the pilot landed, I said. He said, ‘There’s another guy who went to get you,’ and I said, ‘Well, let’s wait for him,’ (the pilot said) ‘Well, there’s only two seats,’” Shrinkle said.

Earlier, Cowan had bailed out of the chopper to open the other seat so Shrinkle could get back to safety, and waited to be picked up later.

“When they brought me back to search base as we were landing, he was driving away in a vehicle, so I never got to see him,” Cowan said.

Nearly 52 years have gone by since both men went in different directions, figuratively and literally.

Both Cowan and Shrinkle went on to get married and have families.

Cowan continues to be a member of the Search & Rescue team and served in El Cajon politics as well. Shrinkle became a physicist, business owner, and author with at least 30 patents to his name.

“I always wondered what happened to Lou, and it was pleasing for me to learn, you know, he made good,” Cowan said.

Shrinkle told ABC 10News he kept backpacking after the event and made sure everything he takes is warm and waterproof.

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 Mecija

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    SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — She was convicted of murdering her husband in 2001, but new DNA evidence led to her conviction being overturned in 2020 after twenty years in prison.

In February 2000, Jane Dorotik reported her husband, Robert, missing after he went out for a jog. His body was found bludgeoned in a wooded area near their Valley Center.

Dorotik was arrested and convicted in 2001 of killing her husband. Prosecutors at the time said she killed him because she would have to pay him 40% of her income in case of a divorce.

After a judge reversed her original conviction, a jury trial was granted, but prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss in 2022.

Now 79, she has settled her lawsuit against San Diego County for $500,000 — far less than the $20 million she had hoped to receive.

“This whole time, you never wavered from your innocence?” ABC 10News anchor Melissa Mecija asked Dorotik during a recent interview after the settlement was finalized.

“Never. Never,” she said.

Dorotik now lives in Florida with her daughter and son-in-law.

“San Diego DA’s office knew about all of these problems they had in their lab, with their so-called blood spatter expert. They let it go forward and they misrepresented a lot of information they withheld other information,” Dorotik said. “Where’s the accountability for them?”

The Loyola Project for the Innocent that took her case in 2015. The lawyers said DNA testing revealed new evidence including another person’s DNA found under Robert Dorotik’s fingernails.

“The level of trust that you lose in prison about many things, stays with me … generally, that all things are right has been most definitely shaken,” Dorotik said.

Dorotik sued the county and ended up settling for about $500,000, which was far less than the $20 million she hoped to receive. She said the original amount she was requested was comparable to others who spent years in prison for wrongful convictions.

“It was my decision to make it end, and I needed to do that for peace of mind and for my health. I’ve had some heart problems that I can’t help but believe are related to all of the stress,” Dorotik said.

She was worried that prosecutors would try to attempt a third criminal trial.

A district attorney spokesperson said they were not a named defendant in the civil lawsuit “and in the county’s settling of the matter, there were absolutely no admissions of wrongdoing by the district attorney.”

The spokesperson said there were no findings of prosecutorial misconduct in the case.

“It is important to emphasize that the allegations contained in that lawsuit are just that — allegations — and should not be reported or interpreted as established facts,” the emailed statement said.

Dorotik said she now helps other women in prison. She also focuses on spending time with her family. One of her sons passed away a few years ago. The other, she doesn’t have a relationship with anymore.

Right now, she said she’s trying to enjoy whatever time she has left.

“I do absolutely treasure every day and treasure the warmth and love I feel from my daughter and son-in-law here in Florida,” Dorotik said.

Both of Dorotik’s sons testified against her during the trial. One of her sons died a few years ago. She does not have a relationship with her other son.

The sheriff’s office told ABC 10News the case will be reviewed by the sheriff’s Homicide Cold Case Unit.

Dorotik said without LMU’s Project for the Innocent, she doesn’t know where she would be. According to its website, it has exonerated 20 people who collectively served 490 years in prison for crimes they didn’t commit.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KGTV’s editorial team 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 Ava Kershner

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    SORRENTO VALLEY, California (KGTV) — A Sorrento Valley family’s beloved dog, Bruno, was poisoned right in his backyard.

“It was pretty small, like maybe the size of the palm of your hand,” described Sabrina Bazzo, Bruno’s owner. “It had string wrapped around it, which I found was also bad for dogs.”

It didn’t seem suspicious at first.

But what Bruno was chewing on, wasn’t a toy.

“I kind of pulled open the meat, and there was this blue, like, some kind of chemical in it,” said Bazzo. “And then I saw these metal-like pieces, metal hooks, and that’s like when I just freaked out.”

The veterinarian said it was most likely rat poison, and had to make Bruno throw it up along with the metal hooks.

Bazzo thinks someone threw the poisoned meat over her fence, but with multiple homes behind her, she hasn’t been able to narrow down who it was.

“For the most part, we have good relations with our neighbors,” said Bazzo. “But the more I think about it, like, I don’t know all of my neighbors as well as I should.”

Its not the first time she’s gotten questionable messages and warnings.

Bazzo received death threats while running for the San Diego Unified School Board during the pandemic.

And just a few months ago, she got a letter that said, “Be a good neighbor and please shut your g**damn dog up with all the barking day and night!!!”

The letter was sent while Bazzo was mourning her late husband, David, who had a brain tumor.

They got Bruno during that battle.

“When he got out of the hospital, my daughters got me Bruno, and he was like an 8-to-10-week puppy,” said Bazzo. “He used to sleep a lot on the couch in the recliner, and Bruno would be like right next to him. He’s been a really a source of like comfort for our family during a very difficult time.”

Now, after losing her husband, Bazzo isn’t about to lose her dog, too.

She’s having security cameras installed facing her fence.

“You hate to think that you have to do those kinds of things but you know when I’m sitting out in my backyard I don’t want to be nervous or scared that someone’s gonna do something,” said Bazzo.

The San Diego Humane Society’s Law Enforcement is investigating the incident.

They sent ABC 10News this statement:

“San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) is currently investigating a recent incident of suspected animal cruelty in the Sorrento Valley area. We are working diligently to investigate all leads.

We urge anyone with concerns about animal welfare or nuisance issues to contact us directly. Intentionally harming an animal is a crime, and there are always humane and legal alternatives to address frustrations.

If you witness suspicious activity involving animals or find dangerous items in your yard, please call San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement dispatch at 619-299-7012, ext. 1. We are available 24/7 to assist the community and ensure the safety of all animals.

For more information on reporting animal cruelty or seeking assistance with animal-related concerns, please visit sdhumane.org/HLE.”

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 Da Lin

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — San Francisco continued to recover Sunday after a massive PG&E power outage that left roughly one-third of the city without electricity at its peak, disrupting daily life, shutting down small businesses, and forcing families to throw away food just days before Christmas.

PG&E officials said more than 130,000 customers lost power Saturday after a fire broke out at the Mission Substation — about one-third of the utility’s San Francisco customers. While power has since been restored to most areas, about 13,000 customers remained without electricity as of Sunday afternoon. PG&E says it does not suspect sabotage or malicious activity and has not yet explained how or why the fire started.

In the Richmond District, the outage brought traffic to a standstill as darkened intersections forced SFMTA workers to manually direct cars in the rain. Nearby businesses, including gas stations and grocery stores, were forced to close.

At 25th and Clement Produce Market, owner Spiros Johnson said the prolonged outage wiped out thousands of dollars in perishable inventory.

“This morning, we had to just get rid of everything, chicken, meat, fish,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the losses extended beyond spoiled meat, hitting his business during one of the busiest weekends of the year.

“It’s not only the loss of the meat,” he said. “But it’s the loss of revenue. And this is one of our busiest weekends just before the Christmas holiday.”

Other business owners tried to minimize losses by giving away food that was still safe to eat. Ice cream shops, however, had no such option.

“You can’t sell it. All the ice cream is just done,” said Mahgoub Elnour, owner of Bourbon County Market, as he pointed out bags of melted ice cream.

Residents were also forced to throw away holiday groceries.

“We have to throw out a full refrigerator of food. So that’s frustrating,” said Richmond District resident Greg Ogarrio.

Saturday night, large swaths of San Francisco were plunged into darkness, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere in affected neighborhoods.

“In the dark, it’s dead quiet, and that is almost unnerving in a sense,” Ogarrio said.

Another resident, Skylar McAdow, said the size and length of the outage were shocking.

“Total shock, it’s so surprising that this is even possible in today’s day and age,” McAdow said.

PG&E spokesperson Melissa Subbotin said crews were still working to restore power to all customers.

“There was extensive damage following a fire inside our substation. Our goal is to continue working until every customer has been restored,” Subbotin said.

On Sunday afternoon, Mayor Daniel Lurie toured the Richmond District and met with business owners who stayed open using flashlights or backup generators. He described the disruption as significant and said weekend closures could cost businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“We are definitely going to have to sit down with PG&E after this and assess what went wrong with this fire at the substation. We’re still looking for information from them,” Lurie said.

Some businesses without power operated on a cash-only basis, trying to sell inventory before it spoiled. Esa Yonn-Brown, owner of Butter Love Bakeshop, said she reached out to the neighborhood for help.

“I posted a plea with the neighborhood to please come support us and make sure that this doesn’t end up in the trash because I just hate the idea of food getting wasted,” Yonn-Brown said.

By early Sunday afternoon, power was restored to parts of the Richmond District, drawing cheers from residents when lights flickered back on. For others, the restoration came too late.

Back at 25th and Clement Produce Market, Johnson said the damage was already done — but he hopes the lights stay on as more rainstorms move into the Bay Area.

“We’ve been on the corner for 33 years, I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s very upsetting,” he said.

PG&E says businesses that lost products or revenue may file a claim with the utility, but must provide documentation and evidence showing what was lost.

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 Dan Raby

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — Deputies are searching for three inmates who escaped from the DeKalb County Jail on Monday morning.

Authorities say the three fugitives should be considered armed and dangerous.

According to investigators, security teams discovered the three men were missing during a routine check. The sheriff’s office is working closely with other local law enforcement agencies to try to locate the inmates.

“We take this breach very seriously and are working diligently to ensure these individuals are safely returned to custody as quickly as possible,” Sheriff Melody M. Maddox said in a release.

The three men have been identified as:

Stevenson Charles, 24, is charged with murder and armed robbery. Yusuf Minor, 31, is charged with two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Naod Yohannes, 25, is charged with simple assault, arson and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution. The agency had not released any details about how the three were able to escape custody.

If you have any information about where Charles, Minor, and Yohannes could be, call the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Tip Line at (404) 298-8200. Officials say residents should “exercise extreme caution and should not approach them.”

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 Zachary Bynum

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — An Atlanta-based church has eliminated $1.5 million in medical debt for families across metro Atlanta, offering relief to more than 1,100 people struggling with the financial consequences of unexpected illness and injury.

Spirit and Truth Church announced the initiative this week, calling it a Christmas effort centered on compassion, justice, and community restoration. The debt relief will impact individuals and families in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Henry counties, according to the church.

Medical debt remains one of the leading causes of financial instability nationwide, often affecting access to housing, credit, and basic necessities. Church leaders say the burden is especially heavy for working families, seniors, and communities already facing economic inequities.

“This is about lifting a burden that no one should have to carry alone,” said Mark Moore Jr., senior pastor of Spirit and Truth Church.

“Medical debt should never determine a family’s future or rob individuals of dignity and peace,” Moore said. “This Christmas, we chose to respond with faith in action.”

The church says it fully satisfied outstanding medical balances for qualifying individuals, providing what it calls “tangible relief” during a season focused on hope and renewal.

Moore said the initiative reflects the church’s broader mission to support people beyond worship services, pointing to a commitment rooted in service and community care.

“At a time when many households are being asked to do more with less, this initiative is a reminder of the role faith institutions can play in strengthening communities through decisive action,” Moore said.

Spirit and Truth Church says it plans to continue similar efforts in the year ahead, focusing on initiatives that restore stability, advance justice and create lasting impact for families across metro Atlanta.

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.