Author: CNN Newsource

By Ricardo Tovar

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    SALINAS, Calif. (KSBW) — The Housing Authority of the County of Monterey hosted a grand opening for its Fairview Transitional Housing Complex this week.

The complex, located at the former Fairview Inn along Fairview Avenue near Sanborn Road, will provide 46 units to assist families and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

A developer previously in charge of the project was accused of misusing funds, causing delays in the county’s efforts.

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 Amari Saxton

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    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KOAT) — This weekend, students across New Mexico had the opportunity to celebrate American history and culture through poetry at the 21st anniversary of the Poetry Out Loud event.

The event consisted of eleven high school students who were state finalists and represented their schools, which ranged across the state.

The event showcased three rounds from the eleven finalists of spoken word poetry as well as a 15-minute performance from a mariachi band.

The students showcased poems from several famous artists, ranging from Langston Hughes to Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman. In light of International Women’s Day, some students chose poems that contained powerful messages about women’s rights.

“I wanted to include something that I connected with as a woman”, runner-up Noelle Humphreys said. “I love Georgia Douglas Johnson, so I chose ‘The Heart of a Woman’ because it really moved me.”

The winner of the event, Hadas Frish, received $200 as well as a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry material. In addition to the cash prize, the winner also received an all-expense-paid trip to represent New Mexico at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C., in April.

“I think the topic that I chose and the way that I delivered it helped me,” Hadas said. “Not a lot of people talk about women’s suffrage in their poems, and I think that’s something that stood out to the judges.”

Hadas said she is also excited to head to Washington, D.C., to represent New Mexico in the state finals.

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 Nijzel Dotson

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    OAKDALE, Calif. (KCRA) — Two children and two adults were killed after a vehicle crashed and caught fire in Stanislaus County early Sunday morning, officials said. Two other children were seriously injured.

According to the California Highway Patrol, officers responded to reports of a solo vehicle crash after 3:05 a.m. on the Oakdale-Waterford Highway near Claribel Road. CHP said a 2014 Dodge SUV was fully engulfed in flames when officers arrived, with two children outside of it.

The SUV was traveling northbound when the driver veered off the road and hit a concrete barrier, according to CHP. When it caught flames, a 12-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy were able to get themselves out of the vehicle.

Four other people were pronounced dead at the scene.

A family member identified the victims as Adrian Solorio, Brenda Cisneros, their 5-year-old child and an infant.

The relative of Solorio said the husband and wife were leaving a family gathering in Merced and were just 10 minutes from their home when the crash took place.

The children who made it out of the vehicle suffered major injuries and were taken to UC Davis Medical Center in a helicopter, officials said.

It is unclear what caused the driver of the SUV to crash. An investigation is still underway, according to CHP.

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By Jamie Azulay

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    WESTBROOK, Maine (WMTW) — Kimberly Sullivan is a nurse and a mom who started a project collecting and donating feminine products to girls at Westbrook Middle School. She wants to make sure all girls have what they need to feel confident and comfortable in their changing bodies.

She said, “That one girl could be the next president. You don’t know. She could find a cure for cancer, and if I made a difference in that, then that’s wonderful.” With the help of neighbors and friends who sent money and supplies, she packs a couple of sanitary pads, a few tampons of varying sizes, and a lip balm or a pack of facial tissues in a small zipper pouch.

She was inspired by an experience she had while volunteering in the Falcon’s Nest, a free resource room at the middle school stocked with food, clothing and hygiene products. She recalled the day a preteen girl came in crying after starting her period.

Sullivan said, “She was crying because she had leaked through her underwear and pants, which, if you’re a woman or a girl, it’s happened to you, or it will happen to you at some point. We all know.”

She helped that student find the right supplies and a change of clothes, gave a big hug, and sent her back to class. “It’s a natural thing that’s going to happen,” she said. “We all know it, and it’s healthy. She should just have supplies. It’s no big deal.”

Sullivan also hopes her efforts can lead to education and conversations about what women go through. She talked with her son about menstruation and hopes other adults can have similar conversations with the boys and men in their lives.

She said, “I’ve told him, ‘Don’t ever make fun of a girl. Don’t ever tease a girl because of it.'” To start a conversation like this, Sullivan suggests being honest and using biological terms. She hopes doing so will help to eliminate bullying and increase care and compassion.

“The world out there is kind of awful right now, but there are points where it can be happy,” Sullivan said. “It can be kind. There are people that will help you, and this, being a woman, is how you get through it — together.”

Sullivan would like to keep her project going for years to come. Donations to support her can be dropped off at Westbrook Middle School.

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By Breana Ross

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    DUNDALK, Md. (WBAL) — Dental students are getting real experience in a new virtual reality lab in preparation to treat patients.

For first-year dental hygiene student Malique May-Holzman and her classmates, learning is hands on at the Community College of Baltimore County’s Dental Hygiene Program.

“I like helping people, and I feel like a lot of people are apprehensive about coming to the dentist, and I want to be that person where I can encourage them to come,” May-Holzman told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Before students work on actual patients, they train at CCBC’s new virtual reality lab.

“I noticed that there was a gap in the utilization of technology for dental hygiene education training,” said Brionna Watson, the director of CCBC’s Dental Hygiene Program.

Watson is the mastermind behind the VR lab who worked to turn her vision into a reality.

“In this headset, they get to immerse themselves in a virtual dental environment, where they are actually able to get as much repetition as they would like with different clinical skillsets,” Watson told WBAL-TV 11 News. “That sequence that they get to practice really allows them to have more confidence, reduce their anxiety, and just allow them to have a risk-free environment with practicing before actually entering a patient’s mouth.”

While attending the 2024 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tech Summit, Watson met Howard R. Jean, the founder and CEO of Black Meta Agency. From there, many collaborated to open the VR dental hygiene lab in December, making history.

“This is the first virtual reality software and lab in the U.S. for dental hygiene education,” Watson told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Jean helped Watson find a team to develop the technology, and the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation funded the lab. Gleechi, a company based in Sweden, developed the VR technology software. The New York University College of Dentistry helped with the learning module for local anesthesia simulation.

Students have found the innovative technology beneficial.

“I feel like it being interactive is a lot more fun than just reading the textbook, in my opinion,” May-Holzman told WBAL-TV 11 News.

“It helps build confidence because you are actually doing the manual motions of it rather than just reading it in a textbook,” said Malik Benu, a first-year dental hygiene student.

While CCBC’s VR lab is the first in the country for dental hygienists, Watson hopes it isn’t the last.

“The goal is to expand to other dental hygiene students nationally so that they can get the proper training that enhances their performance,” Watson told WBAL-TV 11 News. “It ultimately helps them with student engagement, builds their confidence, also the long-term goal of student retention, getting more students to graduate and supplying the workforce demand because there’s a shortage right now of dental hygienists.”

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By Barry Simms

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    RISING SUN, Md. (WBAL) — Sheriff’s deputies in Cecil County are searching for the driver of a Toyota pickup truck after it flew by a stopped school bus and narrowly missed two girls.

Deputies are receiving plenty of help from social media, with many people outraged over the video of the incident.

Tire marks along a grass embankment and security video WBAL-TV 11 News obtained from Duvall’s Lawn and Garden show just how close two girls, ages seven and 11, came to getting hit.

A school bus stopped on Telegraph Road in Rising Sun to pick up the children. Cecil County sheriff’s deputies said the bus had its flashing lights on, warning drivers they needed to stop.

Video shows a Toyota pickup truck pulling up to the right and going around the bus, passing between the bus door and the children who were about to board.

The mother of the 7-year-old was standing nearby, watching helplessly.

“She was visibly upset, shaking,” said Brandon Stewart, a parent of the 7-year-old.

“I pulled up the camera. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. It’s crazy. That’s the only way I can say it,” said Shawn Kennedy, the 11-year-old girl’s father.

Cameras on the bus also captured images of the pickup truck.

“It’s very disturbing that somebody doesn’t have the common sense to wait five seconds so kids can get on the bus,” Stewart said.

Deputies are trying to identify the driver. The sheriff’s office issued a BOLO for the truck.

“This was a very dangerous incident. This person did this at a high speed. We don’t know why the person was doing this, why the person chose to pass the school bus in that manner,” said Capt. Michael Holmes with the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office. “Was the person in a hurry, committing a crime? That’s all the stuff we’re looking at.”

Kennedy talked to his daughter when she got home.

“I said, ‘Are you OK?’ She said, ‘Yes, but dad, if I took one or two more steps, that truck would have hit me,'” Kennedy said. “That’s what hit me the worst.”

The two fathers said while in school, counselors assisted the girls and allowed them to talk about the incident.

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By Joyce Ogirri

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    SALEM, Ind. (WLKY) — A longtime southern Indiana emergency room doctor is recovering after receiving a life-saving heart transplant during a winter storm.

Dr. Stephen Kemker, an emergency physician at Ascension St. Vincent in Salem, spent more than 30 years caring for patients in the community. But recently, he found himself in the hospital bed.

“It’s like stepping off a cliff. The heart can no longer compensate,” Kemker said.

Doctors diagnosed Kemker with advanced heart failure linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic condition that causes the heart muscle to thicken. Physicians told him a heart transplant was his best chance at survival.

“They asked if we were ready for a transplant,” Kemker said. “I was like, well, we don’t really have a choice.”

In December, Kemker received the call he had been waiting for: a donor heart was available. However, a snowstorm moving through the region threatened to delay the life-saving surgery.

Snowplows met the transplant team at the airport, clearing a path so the heart could safely reach Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis.

Dr. Kathleen Morris, Kemker’s advanced heart failure cardiologist, said the team knew time was critical.

“We knew that he needed the heart and that the time was critical. So we did whatever we could within our power to get the heart here. Fortunately, it was successful,” Morris said.

After weeks of recovery, Kemker was discharged home in January and continues to regain his strength. He admits it was difficult to transition from doctor to patient.

“I had to accept the fact that this was a little bit beyond me, so I needed their advice and their care, and they did an excellent job,” Kemker said.

Kemker and his wife, Dr. Kalen-Carty Kemker, a family medicine physician, have served the Salem community since 1993.

She says their family is deeply grateful for the organ donor who made his second chance possible.

“There’s no gratitude that you can give for that. And he’s here. Somebody did a wonderful thing for several people that night,” she added. “I hope someday we can thank them in person,” she said.

Kemker hopes sharing his story will inspire others to consider becoming organ donors. His doctors say his recovery is continuing to move in the right direction.

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By TJ Dysart

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Surveillance video from Rocky Rococo on Howell and Layton in Milwaukee captured a customer pepper-spraying 18-year-old Vaida Fedikovich at the drive-thru window before driving off.

The customer’s face has been blurred in the footage as she has not been charged.

Fedikovich said the incident was traumatic, prompting her to quit her job the next day.

“My heart is still pounding being here at this location,” Fedikovich said. “I left on my own terms due to the circumstance that I did not feel safe.”

Fedikovich filed a police report, but said no arrest had been made that she was aware of. She explained that the attack occurred because the customer’s order had been taking too long.

“Basically, my manager told me to get ice and I forgot she was there,” Fedikovich said.

She described it as an honest mistake that did not deserve such a violent response.

“There’s multiple people there and it’s not just you in line; we have other things to do and it’s just all about waiting your turn and trying to work with us,” Fedikovich said.

A spokesperson for Rocky Rococo’s sent a statement to 12 News. “The safety of our employees and guests is extremely important to us. We are very concerned for our former team member following this incident. The matter was immediately reported to local authorities, and we are cooperating fully with their investigation.”

The Milwaukee police department said they have not made any arrests. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police.

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 Chloe Godding, Krista Tatschl

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    KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — When a Kansas City woman saw a man attempting to break into her car in the River Market, she took matters into her own hands.

“We were having a wonderful brunch, and then we all parted ways and so I was getting dropped off to my car,” Syreeta Gapelu said.

But that’s when she saw something shocking. Gapelu and her best friend saw a man breaking into her car in the River Market.

Her response?

“My first instinct was to tackle him,” Gapelu said.

Video of the incident shows Gapelu running at the man to stop him.

“He snatched my bookbag, shut my door, ran into the pole, then ran into the gas meter … he threw my bookbag,” she said. “I was able to snatch him up by his hoodie. I was able to snatch him up, tackle him to the ground.”

Luckily for Gapelu, she’s got some experience.

She played defensive tackle for Kansas City’s women’s football team, KC Glory.

“I feel empowered,” she said. “I feel empowered to play football with women who love the sport.”

Her quick work to stop the man may have helped recover other stolen items, too. Gapelu and her friend learned the man had stolen jewelry on him at the time, including an engagement ring. Video later showed him in handcuffs.

“Came to find out he was stealing from other people, and that hurt most to where I’m like, OK, that’s done. You’re not going to be stealing from anybody else,” she said.

Gapelu’s friends aren’t surprised she jumped into action.

“The loving side of her is so much more than the protector that she is,” Ericka 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.