Author: CNN Newsource

By Shelley Bortz

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    Pennsylvania (KDKA) — An 11-year-old boy ran into a Pennsylvania Family Dollar with a black bear right behind him. The bear charged through the front doors, sending the boy and the cashier scrambling for cover. The moment the bear leapt over the front counter was caught on video.

“I was like, ‘I’m probably going to get eaten by a bear,'” Cole Frazee said.

Boy recounts outrunning bear

Frazee said he and his dad stopped to grab a few things at the Family Dollar in Markleysburg. Cole went outside to see what was taking his dad so long, and that’s when he saw it: a black bear looking right at him.

At first, Frazee thought it was going to turn around. Instead, it started chasing him.

“When it runs after me, I turn around, I run in the store, I’m screaming and stuff. The thing was like a foot and a half away from me,” Frazee said.

“I took a left and the bear went straight,” he said.

Frazee says his heart was pounding as he raced up and down the aisles trying to escape the bear. The only other person inside the store was the cashier, so he ran to her for help. She grabbed Frazee and they both jumped on top of the counter to get a better view. The moment the bear turned and walked toward the back, they saw their only chance.

“She grabbed her coat, the keys and the phone and we ran out of there. When we ran out of there, we all got in the car,” Frazee said.

Video captures bear on counter Seconds later, the bear returns to the front of the store, and that’s when the video captures it leaping over the counter where Frazee had just been. The bear stayed inside the store for about 10 minutes, wandering around before finally finding its way out. Meantime, outside, sitting in a locked car, Frazee says he finally felt safe.

“I was relieved,” he said. “It was definitely a crazy experience.”

It’s an experience he’ll share for years to come, and it started Monday at school. Frazee said when his friends found out what happened, they couldn’t believe it. He’ll be forever known as the boy who outran a bear.

“That’s like one in a million right there,” he said.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission says bears are actively searching for food this time of year, and that leads to sometimes dangerous and unexpected encounters.

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By Asal Rezaei

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    Indiana (WBBM) — A mother says she gave birth to her baby in a car minutes after being turned away from a hospital over the weekend in Crown Point, Indiana. Video shows her being wheeled out by hospital staff, and she’s clearly in pain.

Mercedes Wells and her baby are now recovering at a different hospital in Munster.

The videos posted by her family online have quickly gone viral. The footage shows Wells being pushed down the hallway in a wheelchair at Franciscan Health Crown Point.

Her family said she was in active labor, but hospital staff told her that because she was only dilated three centimeters, she would have to come back later.

Wells’ sister-in-law, Cherice Joy Thomspon, said they were visiting family in Indiana, and the baby wasn’t due for another couple of weeks.

“I feel like my family’s rights have been violated,” she said.

Eight minutes after being discharged from Franciscan Health, Wells’ baby was born in the family’s car, according to Thompson.

“She said, ‘I’ve got to push.’ … He was driving with one hand, ripped her pants off with the other hand, and looked down, and he said he could see the baby’s head. And he was like, ‘Oh my God, here’s the baby’s head,'” Thompson said. “He grabbed a blanket, caught the baby, and then put the baby on my sister-in-law’s chest, Mercedes’ chest, and the umbilical, everything was still attached, and they kept on driving.”

The family said 911 dispatchers were on the phone with them at the time, and led them to Community Hospital in Munster, where they were welcomed with open arms. Thompson said they’re grateful for the staff at Community Hospital, where Wells and her baby were recovering on Monday.

“911 was able to call the hospital and give them notice that they were coming, and so there were 15 doctors and nurses outside waiting for them to arrive,” Thompson said.

She called her brother a hero.

“He was able to be calm and deliver his baby in that kind of pressure,” she said.

Thompson shared how Wells is feeling now.

“When I went to the hospital yesterday, when I opened up the door, Mercedes saw me, she just started crying, because she feels violated, she feels unheard. You know, she feels dismissed,” she said.

The family said they hope hospital staff who turned Wells away are held responsible.

Franciscan Health said they’ve opened an internal investigation into what happened.

Full statement from Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady “We are aware of the video and the concerns expressed on social media regarding the discharge of a pregnant patient from Franciscan Health Crown Point. We are grateful to learn from online and media reports that both mother and child are reportedly doing well.

“The video and the comments it has generated are deeply troubling, and we understand the concern this has raised. The video is just one part of the information we are reviewing as part of a thorough investigation into this alleged incident.

“While patient privacy laws make it difficult for us to comment more deeply, it is important to note that the videos and the narrative surrounding them do not accurately represent Franciscan Health Crown Point’s Catholic healthcare ministry’s values, which include respect for life, compassionate concern and Christian stewardship. Our goal is to make everyone who walks through our doors feel the love of Christ through our actions.

“The reality is disparities in healthcare outcomes exist and Franciscan Health Crown Point strives to be part of the solution, not the problem.

“We remain committed to meeting and exceeding all regulations and best practices for care, and we will take appropriate action based on the findings of our review.”

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By Jermont Terry, Darius Johnson, Elyssa Kaufman

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — An arson investigation is underway after a woman was set on fire while riding a CTA Blue Line in Chicago’s Loop on Monday night.

According to Chicago police, a 26-year-old woman got into an argument with a 45-year-old man while on a train at Clark and Lake streets around 9:25 p.m. Police said the fight escalated when the man poured a liquid on the woman and set her on fire.

Police said the woman got off the train and collapsed on the platform. A witness told CBS Chicago they saw the victim jump off the train and bystanders come to her aid.

She sustained severe burns and was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

CBS Chicago has obtained video of the aftermath, which shows a woman with significant burns on her head.

No arrests have been made.

Chicago police arson detectives are investigating.

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By Tim Pulliam

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    LONG BEACH, California (KABC) — Long Beach dealt with major street flooding on Saturday after a storm brought heavy rain through the area.

Many neighborhood streets looked like rivers, and some residents even got out on the water on kayaks.

Although the water had drained by Saturday night, many neighbors say they aren’t taking any chances with more rain in the forecast. Eyewitness News spotted many homes with sandbags outside.

Neighbors on Naples Lane in Long Beach sloshed through murky rainwater on Saturday.

Tim Morrisse captured video of flooded streets around his neighborhood. One shot shows his dog trying to wade through the water.

Forget the beach — families made the most of the weather event. The rainstorm transformed their neighborhood sidewalk and street into a shallow pool.

“The water just started coming up really fast,” Morrisse said.

Overnight, Long Beach was walloped by water. Neighbors took cover underneath hoodies and umbrellas.

By Saturday afternoon, Morrisse and his neighbors living near Naples Lane and Ravenna Drive were overwhelmed. He admits he was not completely prepared for the rain.

Video shows the water getting too close to residents’ garages.

“I put some sandbags around the house. It’s almost in the house. It’s a little scary,” Morrisse said.

Morrisse said this typically happens when there’s heavy rain and storm drains are clogged, and he believes this is one of the worst times he’s seen the flooding.

The Long Beach Public Works Department said there was a power outage that caused a couple of L.A. County-maintained pumps to go offline. Officials said work is being done to minimize the impact.

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By David Collins

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     GLEN BURNIE, Maryland (WBAL) — A road rage incident ended with a gun drawn and threats to use the weapon in Glen Burnie, police said.

“It appears the victim approached to discuss the situation, to confront the suspect, and that’s when the suspect brandished a firearm, threatened the victim, then fled the area,” said Justin Mulcahy, a spokesperson for Anne Arundel County police.

Erick Brett Metzger, 34, is charged with pulling a gun on a driver who accused him of cutting him off. The confrontation took place in the parking lot of a car wash in Glen Burnie, police said.

The alleged victim told police Metzger pulled out a handgun, cocked it and pointed it at him, saying “You will never see your family again,” according to charging documents.

Police said Metzger then turned his attention to a car wash employee who did not see the encounter.

Metzger pointed at the employee and said, “If you want some, you can have some too,” according to charging documents.

According to police charging documents, Metzger arrived at the car wash just before closing. His tag was captured by a camera. Then another camera took a picture of him behind the wheel when he purchased a car wash.

In addition, police have business surveillance video that followed Metzger’s movements.

“We’ve had some prior encounters,” Mulcahy said. “This particular suspect, through our investigation, was prohibited from carrying a firearm, and had an open arrest warrant, which was appropriately served.”

Metzger’s criminal history includes charges of robbery, assault, burglary and theft, online records show.

Metzger told police at the car wash that a stranger quickly approached him. Unsure of what was going on, he secured his gun and put a round in the chamber. Metzger said he never pointed it at the individual.

He is being held without bail.

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By Olivia Hickey

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    CHOCTAW, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Volunteers in Choctaw are helping 89-year-old Ruth “Connie” Holland clean up her property, which was devastated by a tornado last November.

Holland had lived in her home for decades before the 2024 tornado destroyed it. Recently, Corey Driver, a local resident, discovered her address on a city council meeting agenda,

“One of the items on the agenda was to discuss the disposition of a dilapidated structure at this address,” Driver said. “I knew that if the city council was talking about it at this point, that probably the next step was that they were going to make her clean the place up, and if she didn’t, they were going to put a lien on her property. I felt bad because I knew that she had lost that property in the tornado and she didn’t have insurance.”

After Driver put out a call for help on Facebook, dozens of volunteers offered their time and equipment to assist with the demolition and cleanup, alleviating the costs for Holland and her family.

On Saturday, demolition crews took down what remained of the house, and on Sunday, volunteers of all ages gathered to clear debris, filling several donated dumpsters.

“I can hardly believe it. They’re just wonderful people,” Holland said.

Although she had hoped to rebuild, Holland now said she believes it is more likely that the property will be sold, with the hope that another family can move in and create memories as she did.

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By James Curtis

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    NORTH PORT, Florida (WBBH) — A North Port man was found guilty and received a life sentence in prison on Friday for stabbing his adoptive parents to death in their home in 2023.

Dima James Tower, 24, committed the first-degree murder of Rob and Jennifer Tower, his adoptive parents, according to the verdict. He was also found guilty of fleeing/eluding law enforcement.

Tower grew up in Ukraine before his parents adopted him. When the North Port Police Department responded to the scene at the Tower’s home on Mallicoat Road in 2023, they said officers saw Tower bloodied and shutting the trunk of a vehicle. Officers tried to stop Tower, but he fled the scene in a black car.

After an eight-hour search after a chase, Venice police officers found him at the Shell Gas Station located on Knight’s Trail Road.

When officers entered the Tower’s home, they found the dead bodies of Rob and Jennifer lying on the living room floor. Rob appeared to have puncture wounds in his upper back, while Jennifer’s head was covered in blood, NPPD said.

Officers found blood on the couches in the living room, the bed in the master bedroom, the inside of the front door and the kitchen. A towel rag in the kitchen sink was also covered in blood.

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By Malcolm Shields

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WPBF) — A Boynton Beach man accused of paying an undercover Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputy to kill his ex-wife has asked a judge to dismiss his case.

According to court documents in Broward County, Michael D. Pine, 56, submitted on Oct. 29 a motion to dismiss attempted first-degree murder and first-degree solicitation of murder charges against him.

According to documents submitted by Pine in his own handwriting, Pine argues that the Broward County Sheriff’s Office engaged in entrapment.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, entrapment says “Government agents may not originate a criminal design, implant in an innocent person’s mind the disposition to commit a criminal act and then induce commission of the crime so that the Government may prosecute.”

Pine argues that the state attorney’s office in Broward County has not established or been able to provide evidence of any criminal activity prior to his encounter with law enforcement or the confidential source.

Pine argues that because of that, he should not be in jail, and the court must discharge the case.

Pine also requested in another motion on Oct. 29 that his court-appointed public defender be taken off his case, claiming that the attorney has not prepared a defense for the case and has failed to contact Pine in recent weeks about the case.

Pine has a scheduled Tuesday court hearing in Fort Lauderdale.

[related id=’d20f83d1-129c-45d8-8701-b3b822ec1b0b’ align=’center’ source=”][/related] Pine is accused of wanting his ex-wife dead so he could get his kid back and also blamed her for him going to state prison.

Pine initially requested someone to kill his ex-wife in February while serving a prison sentence for stalking, written threats and insurance claim fraud that occurred in Palm Beach County.

When Pine was released from prison on Feb. 26, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office continued its investigation into Pine.

Pine allegedly offered an undercover detective $10,000 to kill his ex-wife and in March, he paid an undercover detective $2,000 as a down payment for the murder.

After the undercover agent told Pine he killed his ex-wife, Pine allegedly agreed to pay the remaining $8,000.

Pine, who was born in New York, was arrested on March 6 and has pleaded not guilty.

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