Author: CNN Newsource

By Robert Boyd

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — Tampa Bay is known as one of the best dive spots in the country, and a couple of nonprofit groups are using that to build bonds that could last a lifetime.

John Borders is a U.S. Army veteran wounded while on active duty, while Rosalyn Fletcher is a 15-year-old high school student just starting to plan her future. This month, diving brought them together.

It’s all part of a partnership between Scubanauts and the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge.

“Scubanauts International is a scientific diving organization for teenagers, we do a lot of research, we do a lot of coral restoration,” said COO Katie Cooper.

“I’ve always been interested in the marine sciences ever since I was little,” said Fletcher.

“It kind of helps to reduce a whole lot of that stress just going underneath the water, listening to my bubbles, and it kind of lets all my cares just wash away for a while,” said Borders.

Cooper is leading the latest expedition. She is taking John and Roselyn on a trip to the Circle of Heroes.

Located about 10 miles off the coast of Dunedin, 40 feet below the surface, is a series of statues representing all the different branches of our Armed Forces.

“We’ve got 13 life-sized statues, we have a diverse representation from all of the major American conflicts, from World War I, up to the global war on terror,” said Borders.

The statues were placed on the bottom of the gulf back in 2019, which means they are in need of a little maintenance.

“Since then, there has been a lot of growth on them, algae, sponges, other invertebrates, so it obscures the plaque, so it’s hard to tell what they are,” said Cooper.

Armed with scrub brushes, Katie, John and Roselyn dove in and got to work.

“It’s important for me to do my part, cleaning off the algae and the statues, and just make sure it’s remembered with Veterans Day coming up,” said Fletcher.

“We tend to be relying on the kids to make sure that we are doing things correctly when it comes to any of the coral restoration stuff that we are doing,” said Borders.

“It’s a really great feeling to have young people and veterans together cleaning up these statues, it’s a really meaningful site, a really meaningful partnership, and it’s just a great way to come together as a community,” said Cooper.

Scubanauts Annual Fundraising Gala will be held Nov. 8 at Zoo Tampa. For more information, go to scubanautsintl.org

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By Marc Cota-Robles

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    LITTLE TOKYO, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The city of Los Angeles is buzzing with the Dodgers back in the World Series, and Shohei Ohtani has been a big part of the success.

The Japanese star player is big everywhere, but they really love him in Little Tokyo.

At one bar in the area, with every home run hit in Game 4 of the NLCS, the sake shots kept coming. It’s the “Game Night Special” offered on the house at Far Bar on 1st Street.

The business says it went through 14 bottles during Game 4 of the NLCS.

“We love the Dodgers, we love Shohei. We love Yamamoto,” said Cassi Blakeman from New York

That fandom is seen everywhere in the area. Less than 10 minutes from Dodger Stadium is the heartbeat of Japanese-American culture in Los Angeles.

Eyewitness News caught up with some fans who traveled to our Little Tokyo from Japan.

“I think a lot of Japanese people like coming to L.A. to just watch the Japanese players, and yeah, it’s really fun,” one fan said.

“We came to Little Tokyo before the game because we want a picture in front of the Ohtani mural, and I got my Ohtani jersey,” said Dodgers fan Kayla Hickman.

From that towering mural on the Miyako Hotel, to special Dodger-inspired merchandise, and of course, more sake and Ohtani-inspired Mochi — Little Toyko has a lot to offer for die-hard fans.

“All the Japanese players honestly are really amazing – they’ve been doing great,” Hickman said.

Back at Far Bar, you can bet the shots will keep on coming during the World Series every time Ohtani shows up, even if it gets a little costly for the owner.

“I don’t mind giving these shots out, because by definition, it means that we are doing well offensively when that happens,” the owner, Don Tahara, said.

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By Josh Haskell

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Could copper theft slow Los Angeles’s move towards a zero-emissions future? Thieves are targeting electric vehicle charging stations for copper wire — cutting cords and even breaking into chargers using hacksaws. It’s a costly fix to repair the vandalized stations.

Now, there are new efforts underway to prevent copper wire theft.

“All our focus is, ‘How do we accelerate transportation electrification?’ More EVs, cars and trucks on the road, more charges in the ground by the time the world arrives for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028. How do we show the world what we’re made of? We don’t want to show them a world where the Sixth Street Bridge and all the EV chargers are clipped with copper theft,” said Matt Petersen, the CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI).

Even Petersen’s non-profit in the Arts District has been hit multiple times. According to LACI, there are 60,630 public and workplace EV chargers in the greater Los Angeles region.

“There are more chargers that are now out in the open, so it becomes easily accessible to access those, and metal prices are increasing. Copper has increased over the years, so that’s also leading to more vandalism,” said Aric Ohana, of Ohana Mobility.AI.

“Cutting a connector doesn’t fall underneath warranty, and so when you start there, it can get quite expensive, specifically because it’s going to come out of the pocket of the person that deployed the charging station,” said Kameale Terry, the CEO of Charger Help. “For level two, slower chargers, you’re seeing anywhere between $650 to $700 for the connector plus the labor. But then, when you start talking about DC fast chargers, it can go all the way up to $1,500.”

Those in the EV community support AB 476, which Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed into law. It brings stricter penalties and enforcement to those paying for the stolen metal, something that’s not worth a lot of money.

EV charging companies are coming up with more innovative ways to prevent cables from being cut. That includes cables that can disconnect from the charger, wireless charging and more durable protection for cords, including one cable that sprays ink when it’s cut.

“As we see these problems, let’s quantify them. Let’s ensure that we’re thinking about how we solve them. But most importantly, let’s lean in and build better products where you can’t just simply cut the connector,” Terry said.

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By Lisa Lete

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    POCATELLO (eastidahonews.com) — Seventy goats are earning their keep in Pocatello this week as part of an innovative project using the grazing animals to control weeds and improve wildlife habitat — no chemicals required.

In a collaboration between Idaho Goat Grazers and the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust, the herd is spending two days at the Century Heights Preserve, munching down invasive species like cheatgrass that threaten native plant communities and increase wildfire risk.

The goats act as “real-life weed whackers,” consuming up the cheatgrass and up to 95% of its seeds — a task that mowing or spraying can’t accomplish as effectively, according to Zakary Copeland of Aberdeen, who owns Idaho Goat Grazers.

“This is a great alternative to mowing and using chemicals to get rid of weeds,” Copeland said. “The goats eat the grass and the seeds instead of spreading them, reducing the number of invasive species in the area.”

The pilot program was tested in the spring and proved so successful that the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust brought the goats back for a fall follow-up, with plans to make the project a regular, seasonal effort.

“Goat grazing has become a great tool for us,” said Carly Flandro, communications director for the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust. “It helps us reduce the use of chemicals while improving ecosystem health and fostering native plant growth.”

Flandro said the Century Heights Preserve is protected open space owned and managed by the Land Trust, providing vital habitat for mule deer, coyotes, rabbits, bats, songbirds, snakes, butterflies and bees.

“Sagebrush Steppe stewards the land according to best practices for wildlife and ecosystem health,” Flandro said. “These acts offset carbon and help purify our air and water. The benefits of this open space can’t be overemphasized.”

The goat-grazing project supports the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust’s broader mission: to protect, connect and enhance wildlife habitat, working lands and community spaces in southeast Idaho — now and for future generations.

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By Daniel Macht, Michelle Bandur

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    STANISLAUS COUNTY, California (KCRA) — A 22-year-old Turlock man has taken legal action against the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, accusing deputies of unlawful detention and of using excessive force against him at the county fair over the summer.

Ronaldo Hernandez and his attorneys announced Wednesday the filing of a government claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, that stems from the incident on July 20.

In a press conference, attorney Neil Gehlawat said Hernandez was a recent graduate of California State University, Stanislaus with honors who had been attending the fair with his family.

He was socializing with them and friends after a concert when he “felt a jolt to his body.”

“And the next thing you know, he is being punched in the face and punched in the body and being thrown to the ground by Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies,” Gehlawat said.

Video footage released by the attorneys captured part of the interaction, which showed Hernandez being tackled and hit repeatedly as other deputies surrounded him to keep bystanders from intervening.

The video does not show what led up to the confrontation or how it concluded.

Hernandez was detained in jail overnight and charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest “even though he was sober and does not drink,” according to his attorneys.

They said the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office rejected the case due to a lack of evidence on Aug. 27. KCRA 3 has reached out to the DA’s office for confirmation.

Gehlawat said Hernandez now has trouble lifting heavy objects which has led to him becoming unemployed. He also has trouble with short-term memory.

“That night changed my life forever,” Hernandez said in reading a statement. “Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. What happened to me was more than just excessive force. It was an assault on my dignity, my sense of safety, and my trust in the system that’s supposed to protect us.”

He added that he now fears law enforcement and has other “emotional scars.”

KCRA 3 reached out to the sheriff’s office for a response to the allegations. A sheriff’s spokesperson said the office was aware of the incident and claim, but does not comment on pending litigation or personnel matters.

“Ronaldo keeps asking us why this happened to him, and we have no answer,” Hernandez’s parents said in a press release. “ We are seeking justice not just for our son, but to ensure this never happens to another family.”

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