Author: CNN Newsource

By Rheya Spigner

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — It’s a new initiative from the Milwaukee Fire Department to help people in their darkest moments. It all started with one woman, Glenda Diggs, determined to bring joy to the community and MFD determined to spread it.

It’s one unexpected moment that has now turned into so many little moments of hope.

“One day, we were just grocery shopping, and this woman came up and said she had some bears to donate. She had homemade — five garbage bags full of homemade bears that were absolutely gorgeous,” said Lt. Jessica Ziems with MFD.

“The kids who have had a really hard day, that’s when we donate or when we transport a kid in the ambulance, just something to hold onto,” Ziems said.

The hand-crafted bears are hidden in the bench of a fire truck. Lt. Jessica Ziems and HEO Justin Shock of the Milwaukee Fire Department make sure, whenever they can, that they’re ready to be a piece of comfort in a moment of need.

“When we take an oath as a firefighter, we’re swearing to help the community in emergency scenes out, so when opportunities like this come, it’s kind of like giving back to the community in a different way,” Shock said.

The bears are handed out to kids and sometimes shelters to ease some of the hardest times of their lives.

Chief Aaron Lipski of MFD spoke about how proud he was of his teammates for making sure this initiative is intentional and continues. Sharing that it’s moments like when a bear is shared that show help goes beyond the call of duty, it’s about care.

“It is a huge thing when you actually see the breathing rate go down and the trembling stop and the tears dry up — that is a big thing, that’s that child’s whole world in that moment,” Lipski said.

The person who created the bears is Milwaukee resident Glenda Diggs.

“The bears don’t have mouths, so they keep the kids’ secrets, it’s just special — it means the world that so many children are getting them,” Diggs said. “I lost everything when I was little in a fire. I knew there were some kids out there who needed some comfort in bear.”

After the August floods filled her basement with three feet of water, she knew there was one thing worth saving: her hand-crafted bears.

Five hours of intricate work for each bear, custom-made out of furniture scraps and now about 40 of them have been given out so far.

“We reached out to other people in the community, and the community stepped up. So, it’s kind of just neighbors helping neighbors, which is what it’s all about, ” Ziems 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 Caitlyn Scott, Ed DiOrio

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    NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. (WTAE) — An investigation is underway after officials said at least six dogs were killed after a fire broke out inside a kennel in Westmoreland County on Wednesday night.

Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 was on the scene at Bowser’s Dog Services within the 300 block of Baker School Road, where multiple crews were seen dousing hot spots.

Larimer VFC Chief Bill Hardy told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that the fire was reported at 9:30 p.m.

When officials arrived at the scene, he said flames could be seen coming from the roof of the structure.

He said at least six dogs are believed to have been killed as a result of the fire.

Hardy said one person may have sustained injuries trying to get the dogs out; no other injuries were reported.

“They clearly have a love for animals, just like we do,” said Pam Liberatore, a dog trainer and caretaker for Paw and Order Westmoreland County. “It’s devastating, to say the least.”

Liberatore told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that the fire has shaken not just her, but many dog owners in the county. She not only sees the work Bowser’s does for local dogs, but also recommends clients to the North Huntingdon service.

“They show that their dogs that they’re doing training for are well-trained,” Liberatore said. “They show their love and compassion through that. They’re definitely people that we have always, and continue to recommend.”

That’s why when she heard that their kennel had burned down, she reached out to all of her clients and fellow trainers.

“I know my clientele in the area are very giving and hopefully want to support,” Liberatore said. “We, personally, would like to, just from our own pockets, offer anything we can. We’ll maybe come up with a way that our clients can support them by offering monetary donations. That way, they can use it for whatever they may need it for. Dog crates, bedding, bowls, the essentials.”

Liberatore said she doesn’t know the owners of Bowser’s personally, but when something like this happens, it’s about supporting a fellow animal lover.

“Our hearts go out to them as local trainers and dog lovers,” she said. “Even though we are competitors in the dog training world, we also need to act as a support system. I strongly believe that the community will be backing Bower’s in this situation.”

The cause of the fire is still under 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 Sarah McGrew

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — The night of Jan. 7, 2025, Tim Szwarc decided to stay up reading a book he’d just received for Christmas. A fire had started in the mountains behind the home he shares with his wife, Claire Thompson, and he wanted to make sure he was awake to monitor its progress.

“We saw it out our windows, and we saw it coming down the hill and figured that would be a good time to evacuate,” Thompson recalled.

There hadn’t been an evacuation order, the couple decided to self-evacuate out of an abundance of caution. Szwarc thought they’d be back home in just a few hours.

It’s now been a year and the couple haven’t spent a night in their Altadena home since the Eaton fire tore through their city and neighborhood.

“It just felt like a whole other world, and it all changed overnight,” Szwarc said.

Although houses on their block were completely burned down, Szwarc and Thompson’s house remained standing. In the days after the fire, they thought they were one of the lucky ones. But hidden in their walls, their clothes, and their family heirlooms was contamination from the hundreds of structures and cars that burned around them.

In June of 2025, the couple had their home tested by the industrial hygienist firm Kaizen. Their results showed elevated levels of lead, beryllium, and other toxic metals. All of those contaminants can cause serious health issues. Beryllium is a known carcinogen and hasn’t typically been found in wildfire smoke damage, but as wildfires become more and more urban, they’re also becoming more and more toxic.

“As much as I want to call this home, it’s not safe yet,” Szwarc said.

Szwarc and Thompson said their insurance company is now pushing back on the findings from Kaizen. They were told their insurance company would send out its own industrial hygienist, but the couple is still waiting.

“The thing at the top of our list that matters more than anything else is, can we get the remediation necessary to make it safe?” Szwarc said.

The Department of Angels, a nonprofit created after the LA fires aimed at providing resources for fire-impacted communities, found that most fire victims in Altadena and Pacific Palisades have struggled with their insurance coverage. Residents report poor communication and estimates below actual costs as some of the issues.

“That uncertainty over whether this is ever going to be a safe and clean place to live is really hard to deal with,” Szwarc said. “I just hope that insurance will take our health and needs seriously. We’re not asking for gifts or handouts. We’re just asking for what we signed up for and paid for with our premiums each month. To think that there’s still so much uncertainty over whether we’ll be able to live here safely now, a year in, and still not look at much progress is really concerning.”

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 Tim Fang

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    MONTEREY, California (KPIX) — Authorities on California’s Central Coast confirmed that a swimmer who went missing in Monterey Bay last month died from a shark attack.

On Thursday, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office revealed the cause of death of Erica Fox. The 55-year-old went missing while swimming with a group off Lovers Point in Pacific Grove on Dec. 21.

According to deputies, the coroner determined the cause of Fox’s death to be “sharp and blunt force injuries and submersion in water due to a shark attack”. The coroner said the manner of death has been ruled an accident.

“The Sheriff’s Office once again extends its deepest condolences to Erica Fox’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the agency said on social media.

Witnesses reported seeing a splash before Fox disappeared, and investigators said people in the area reported seeing a shark.

Authorities conducted more than 15 hours of search operations, covering more than 84 square nautical miles, before suspending the search the following day.

The woman’s body was recovered on Dec. 27 by Santa Cruz County deputies about four miles south of the community of Davenport, about 25 miles from where she went missing.

Fox was the co-founder of the “Kelp Krawlers”, an open water swimming group.

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.