Author: CNN Newsource

By Kennedy Mason

Click here for updates on this story

    CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Florida (WBBH) — A house fire that nearly took her life has led Nikki Bostic down a path of resilience and recovery.

After a devastating blaze in November that left her in a medically induced coma for weeks, Bostic is walking again, without the help of physical therapy.

“I shouldn’t be able to walk as good as I do,” Bostic said with a smile. “Last night, I went out without my wheelchair, which was really cool. That was the first time I had done it.”

The fire, which investigators believe started from her husband’s motorcycle, trapped Bostic inside her home on McGuire Avenue by hurricane shutters. After three months of physical and emotional recovery, she and her husband, Roy, have made the difficult decision to move forward — by demolishing the home they once shared.

The decision to not rebuild on the land where she nearly died was an important one for Bostic.

“I don’t think I want to rebuild on a piece of land that I technically died on and came back,” she said.

While the emotional scars may never fully fade, Bostic is determined to embrace her recovery. She’s left with permanent scars on her neck and head, and she lost some toes in the fire. But her strength is undeniable.

“I didn’t want to look at the fact that I had scars on my body,” she said. “Now I just wear them as badges of honor.”

Bostic’s journey is far from over, but her spirit remains unbroken.

“Nobody’s going to smother that light,” she said. “Nobody’s going to take it away. I control that light, and that light’s going to go from that little ember to a blazing fire, but it’s going to be a good blazing fire. Not one that takes houses down.”

Looking ahead, Bostic hopes to use her experience to inspire others.

“I’d like to work with kids who have gone through something like this and tell them, hey, you don’t let this stop you.”

Nikki and Roy plan to sell the land and have already signed a lease for a new apartment. Their focus now is starting fresh and creating new, brighter memories.

The journey continues, but the fight is far from over.

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 Taylor Hess

Click here for updates on this story

    WEST EARL TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — A sinkhole has emerged at the intersection of State and Locust streets, causing disruption but also bringing the local community together.

Daryl Stoltzfus recounted how his wife noticed the sinkhole forming just minutes after she had been outside.

“My wife was out here five minutes before. Five minutes later, she goes to leave the driveway and sees a sinkhole starting to open up,” Stoltzfus said. She quickly alerted him, saying, “You might want to come down here. I think there’s a sinkhole.”

Crews had spent hours searching for a broken water main until the ground revealed the issue. The sinkhole, initially beside a driveway, has now expanded to the entire intersection.

Stoltzfus took precautions to protect his property.

“I told my wife to back the car up. I didn’t want it going into the sinkhole,” he said.

While their cars were spared, their mailboxes were not as fortunate.

“Both of our mailboxes. We had them on the same post. It was sitting there, and then today, that’s when it all went down,” Stoltzfus said.

Despite the road closure, neighbors have found a silver lining in the situation.

“It’s kind of interesting. These tragic things happen in the middle of our little community. Route 772 is usually so busy when it shuts down, you really see people come together. It’s like family,” said Jonathan Duty.

For residents like Stoltzfus and Jonathan Duty, who live close to the sinkhole, maintaining perspective is crucial.

“When you put things in perspective, we’re just without water for a few days,” Stoltzfus said. Duty echoed this sentiment, saying, “We’re only out of water. It’ll come back on. We might’ve missed a shower, but we’ll get ourselves back together.”

The community has rallied not only for each other but also for the workers fixing the sinkhole. Residents have provided donuts, hot coffee, and pizza as a gesture of thanks for their hard work.

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 Brian Sherrod

Click here for updates on this story

    DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority and the Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force are implementing a new camera to help with evidence investigations.

The Blind Site is a UK-created tool that can identify evidence ten times faster than a regular camera and see 650 times better than the human eye. It is used to search and capture invisible evidence. This includes finger marks and prints, fluid, traces of DNA, and blood. The company says these cameras allow for faster and more precise processing of crime scenes.

Alexander Smyth, Smytec CEO and creator of Blind Site, says this camera can even show markings of things that are covered up.

“We can even detect tattoos that have been covered by gangs,” Smyth said. “So obviously the tattoo can mark and identify them if they belong to a gang. We can actually see through what they covered that tattoo with and get those tattoos to basically identify what part of the gang they are affiliated with.”

The systems on this camera are fully automated and include autofocus, autoexposure, and automated evidence modes. They can be used in bright sunlight or in the day, can remove backgrounds for better contrast or can keep the background for context, and can connect to agencies’ existing case management systems.

The company says they can also be used for covert operations, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance operations.

The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority and the Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force are purchasing one camera for starters. Each unit costs between $45,000 to $50,000, and it takes about a month to receive 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 Shane Rackley

Click here for updates on this story

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KRIS) — Texas authorities arrested a Nicaraguan man for human smuggling and apprehended a Chinese national during a traffic stop in Maverick County as part of Operation Lone Star.

Juan Alfonso Merlo Ibarra, 35, an undocumented immigrant from Nicaragua, was charged with four counts of smuggling of persons after a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper discovered four people being transported illegally in his vehicle.

The traffic stop occurred on US 277 just after 11:30 p.m. on Friday. During the stop, the trooper found four undocumented immigrants, all dressed in camouflage clothing, inside a gray Toyota Camry.

Among those being smuggled was Beibei Liu, 34, a special interest alien from China. Special interest aliens are individuals from countries that could pose national security concerns to the United States.

The other three undocumented immigrants were from Mexico, including one juvenile.

Merlo Ibarra was booked into the Maverick County Jail. Liu and the three other individuals were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol agents.

The arrest was part of Operation Lone Star, Texas’ border security initiative launched to address illegal immigration and drug trafficking along the state’s southern border.

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 Carli Petrus

Click here for updates on this story

    BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (WXYZ) — As we continue News Literacy Week, we’re lifting up the voice of one Birmingham librarian. She is making it her mission to make sure students learn how to separate fact from fiction early on.

The library at Birmingham Covington School recently turned into a full-on news literacy adventure with different learning stations — and students led their families through each one to learn how to think critically about the information they see every day.

Students at Birmingham Covington School are signing the news literacy pledge — promising to pause, question, and verify before believing or sharing information.

“It’s never too young to start these skills,” said Laura Amatulli, the librarian who organized the literacy night event.

It’s designed for third and fourth graders and their families, and the goal is simple.

“To learn how to slow down, think critically, and ask smart questions before trusting and sharing information,” said Amatulli.

Amatulli says this is especially important as artificial intelligence, or AI, becomes more prevalent in our lives.

“We’re building habits of asking good questions. We want students to think, ‘who created this? Why was this picture made?’ Or ‘why was this article made? What evidence supports this article?’ and these critical thinking skills give them a lifelong piece in their toolbox,” she said.

And it seems like those lessons are already sticking for fourth grader Melia Farr.

“How do you make sure what you’re looking at is truthful?” I asked.

“Well, it’s hard to make sure, but you have to like think about it and make sure it is, because it’s important, because if it’s not factual, then it’s not really that useful,” she said.

Melia attended the event with her mom, Jasmine Farr, who says growing up, the news looked very different.

literacy to elementary students Birmingham librarian Photo by: WXYZ Birmingham librarian By: Carli Petrus Posted 1 hour and 59 minutes ago and last updated 1 hour and 57 minutes ago BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (WXYZ) — As we continue News Literacy Week, we’re lifting up the voice of one Birmingham librarian. She is making it her mission to make sure students learn how to separate fact from fiction early on.

The library at Birmingham Covington School recently turned into a full-on news literacy adventure with different learning stations — and students led their families through each one to learn how to think critically about the information they see every day.

00:34

02:00

Students at Birmingham Covington School are signing the news literacy pledge — promising to pause, question, and verify before believing or sharing information.

“It’s never too young to start these skills,” said Laura Amatulli, the librarian who organized the literacy night event.

It’s designed for third and fourth graders and their families, and the goal is simple.

Laura Amatulli WXYZ Laura Amatulli “To learn how to slow down, think critically, and ask smart questions before trusting and sharing information,” said Amatulli.

Amatulli says this is especially important as artificial intelligence, or AI, becomes more prevalent in our lives.

“We’re building habits of asking good questions. We want students to think, ‘who created this? Why was this picture made?’ Or ‘why was this article made? What evidence supports this article?’ and these critical thinking skills give them a lifelong piece in their toolbox,” she said.

Literacy event WXYZ Literacy event And it seems like those lessons are already sticking for fourth grader Melia Farr.

“How do you make sure what you’re looking at is truthful?” I asked.

“Well, it’s hard to make sure, but you have to like think about it and make sure it is, because it’s important, because if it’s not factual, then it’s not really that useful,” she said.

Melia Farr WXYZ Melia Farr Melia attended the event with her mom, Jasmine Farr, who says growing up, the news looked very different.

“I remember getting the newspaper twice a day and it came on your porch and that was kind of it, you just took that for what it was but now we have it on internet, we have it on social media, you’re getting it from left and right and all these different forms, you have to find out what really is the news,” said Jasmine.

Jasmine says she wants her daughter to stay on the offense as AI technology continues to advance — and she believes events like this one give kids the tools they need to do just that.

“It takes a village so schools can’t do it alone, parents can’t do it alone, and children definitely can’t do it on their own so we all have to come together collectively and make sure that they’re protected, that they’re safe, that they’re learning and we can all do it together as a community,” said Jasmine.

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 Nicole Griffin

Click here for updates on this story

    INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — This weekend in Indianapolis, families touched by the pain of a missing loved one will gather, not only to grieve, but to take action.

The grassroots group The Missing Struggle was born out of heartbreak. Members say they know all too well the uncertainty, the sleepless nights and the desperate search for answers.

Five years after Katrina Overstreet’s sister Cieha Taylor went missing, her family held a celebration of life.

“It’s like having a funeral for someone when you don’t know if they’re alive or dead. That’s really hard,” Overstreet said.

Overstreet told WRTV what pushes her to help others who are struggling.

“Her. That’s the only reason,” Overstreet shared.

Overstreet founded The Missing Struggle to help other families navigate the difficult journey of having a missing loved one.

“We print flyers, host events like the one coming up. We actually look for people. I have a search and rescue dog now, so we can go on searches,” Overstreet said.

She helps others while still waiting for answers in her sister’s case. Taylor was last seen in Plant City, Florida.

“She dropped her boyfriend off around 4:30 p.m. on February 6, 2020. A couple of hours later, her car was found running, abandoned, with the driver’s side door open and her cell phone on the ground. We haven’t seen her since,” Overstreet said.

From memorial tributes to sharing missing persons alerts online, Overstreet says every action counts.

According to the Indiana State Police, the most recent update shows 898 people on the ISP’s missing persons bulletin. However, state police say that number is typically between 930 and 1,000 missing people.

Tiffany Tyler joined The Missing Struggle after her own heartbreaking experience. Her youngest son, Zachariah Tyler, went missing in July 2021.

After four years of silence and searching, Tyler was notified that her son’s remains were found in Indianapolis. She joined the group, hoping to help other families.

“We want this to grow, and we want them to know we are here for them,” Tyler said.

This weekend, their mission comes to life at the group’s missing persons awareness event called Miss-versary in Indianapolis.

“Before I began this missing journey, I had no idea how many people go missing, who to call or what to do. It’s just to educate the public, let them hear from families, share statistics,” Overstreet said.

The Miss-versary event is Saturday at The Intimate Space Indy on East 71st Street from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Overstreet hopes the event provides a healing space for those affected by loss and uncertainty.

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 KAKE Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) — A man who was seen on camera taking a woman by force in northeast Wichita last year has been sentenced to 12 months of probation.

Daniel Espitia Guevara was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. The Sedgwick County district attorney’s office said he pleaded no contest to two counts of domestic battery and one count of criminal restraint.

Judge Roger Woods sentenced Guevara to a year on probation with an underlying prison sentence of two years, meaning he’s subject to prison time if he violates the conditions of his probation.

The incident happened at around 2 a.m. Sunday, October 12 in the 1400 block of North Volutsia. The Wichita Police Department posted pictures and a video on social media after the incident was reported Sunday evening, hoping someone could identify her. The story garnered national attention.

Several days later, investigators received a phone call from a woman claiming to be the one in the video. Police said she lived in the area where the video was captured and that she did not have any significant injuries.

The woman reported that she and her boyfriend, Guevara, went to a baptism for one of her friend’s children at a church in south Wichita the night of October 11. A probable cause affidavit states that she drove Guevara back to his home on North Grove. She said Guevara had several beers, and the original plan was that she would drive to her house and Guevara would walk home. She said he was too drunk, so she decided to drop him off.

Once she pulled into Guevara’s driveway, the document states that he said “he was not going to get out ofthe car, so (the victim) drove to her house and parked in the driveway and told Espitia-Guevara he could walk home. Espitia-Guevara tried to grab (the victim’s) cell phone from the cup holder” and told her that “he wanted to see her messages with her ex-husband.”

She said she exited her car, and Guevara approached her and tried to take her phone away.

“Espitia-Guevara grabbed her hand and held her phone in front of her face to try and open the phone with Face ID. (The victim said Espitia-Guevara was unable to get the phone open,” the document states.

She said she tried to walk away, but Guevara grabbed her in a bear hug and threw her to the ground. She got up and tried again to walk away, but Guevara was walking with her and kept grabbing her left hand. She said they walked back and forth on 14th before she noticed a porch light on in the 1400 block of Volutsia.

“Silva said that she was trying to keep Espitia-Guevara calm and was looking for a way to get help. (She) said she ran up to the front door and tried to yell “Help!” when Espitia-Guevara grabbed her and spun her around and covered her mouth and nose with his left hand.”

Once back on the street, she tried to tell Guevara that she could not breathe. She said he pushed her down to the grass while still holding his hand over her nose and mouth. Guevara began to vomit, and she quickly walked away. A man in a car asked if she needed help, and she said yes. The driver took her home

The victim said she saw the news about the incident and did not come forward sooner because she was afraid that people would take her children away.

Guevara was ordered have no contact with the victim and complete a domestic violence offender assessment and batterers intervention course.

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 Jennifer Borrasso

Click here for updates on this story

    WEST MIFFLIN, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A woman and her husband are fighting for a $400 refund after they bought furniture from a Value City Furniture store that filed for bankruptcy.

“It shows ottoman right here, and it shows that we bought it,” Jessica Reed said. “We paid in full.”

Reed, of Elizabeth, bought nearly $1,500 worth of furniture from the store in West Mifflin. She knew the store was going out of business, but she was promised she’d get her order.

“As you can see here, we are just getting the sofa, the recliner and the chaise, but no ottoman,” she said.

The sales representative told Reed that the ottoman was a limited stock, but they would get a refund if it did not arrive. On Monday, a delivery notification showed the $400 ottoman was not there. She called the store, but was told no refunds, and she needed to take the matter to court.

“It is never a good feeling when somebody gives you false hope,” Reed said.

She does not understand how she is now out the money and won’t have the furniture piece to show for it.

“It’s a feeling of being deceived, just being lied to and just taken money from us that we work hard for that now is just gone,” Reed said. “And I have nothing to show for it when we were promised we would get that back if the item didn’t come.”

KDKA-TV talked to a store manager on the phone on Tuesday, and he said “no comment.”

A Better Business Bureau spokesperson said the company has indicated it’s no longer responding to complaints since it filed for bankruptcy and is in the process of going out of business. The BBB added that there is a claims filing process on the company’s website that a consumer would have to follow for a potential refund.

Once a company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, someone who paid for goods or services that were never delivered may have a priority claim, but they are still not guaranteed a full refund, and any refunds received are dependent on funds available in the bankruptcy estate.

“Buyer beware, and do your research before purchasing anything from a company, especially if they are going out of business,” Reed said.

The chief of the West Mifflin Police Department suggests that Reed file a complaint with his department so detectives can look into it.

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.