Convicted TikToker who bragged about Target theft arrested for running from police

By James Curtis, Elyse Chengery

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    CAPE CORAL, Florida (WBBH) — A Cape Coral TikTok creator who went viral after posting a video of herself stealing from a Target store was arrested again Sunday after police said she ran from a traffic stop while on probation.

According to the Cape Coral Police Department, Marlena Velez, 23, was arrested after two separate traffic stops.

The first happened on Sept. 29, when officers said they saw Velez driving a gray Kia Sorento on Cultural Park Boulevard around 3:25 p.m. and recognized her from a prior arrest.

Police said she was wanted for violating probation and sped away after briefly stopping in a residential neighborhood, in which the officer did not pursue.

On Sunday, officers spotted a Kia Sorento linked to Velez and saw her sitting in the front seat of the SUV. When officers pulled the vehicle over and approached, they said she was missing from the front seat.

According to police, the driver said they did not know where Velez went, but officers found her lying on the floor in the back seat, attempting to hide.

She was taken into custody and booked into the Lee County Jail, facing charges for violating probation and fleeing and eluding police.

Velez gained online attention in November 2024 after she filmed herself shoplifting $500 worth of merchandise from a Cape Coral Target and posted it to her TikTok account, where she has nearly 300,000 followers. That video helped investigators identify her and led to her arrest.

She was arrested a second time, weeks later, after police say they linked her to a prior theft from the same Target store.

Court records show Velez pleaded no contest to petit theft in that case earlier this year and was sentenced to a 20-day work program, two years of probation and ordered to stay away from all Target stores.

Police said Velez’s criminal history includes a 2019 arrest for stealing a car as a teenager and a 2023 shoplifting incident at a Cape Coral Walmart.

She remains at the Lee County Jail as of Tuesday on two probation violation charges and a fleeing/eluding charge.

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Iowa farmers sound alarm as Trump administration backs $20 billion Argentina bailout

By Pepper Purpura

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    POLK COUNTY, Iowa (KCCI) — Iowa farmers are voicing frustration and concern after President Donald Trump hosted Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House this week — just days after announcing a $20 billion U.S. bailout for Argentina aimed at stabilizing its financial markets.

The bailout, structured as a currency swap through Argentina’s central bank, comes as a trade dispute is costing U.S. soybean producers sales to the South American nation —raising concern that the administration’s focus on foreign financial aid is coming at the expense of American farmers.

“Our farmers are angry,” said Polk County farmer and president of the Iowa Farmers Union Aaron Lehman. “We’re facing a financial crisis because we’ve been avoiding common-sense trade policies and instead have started trade wars with many countries around the world.”

Lehman said the bailout will directly benefit Argentina’s agricultural industry — one that competes with U.S. farmers for access to the Chinese market.

“Now the U.S. Treasury is helping Argentina with a $20 billion bailout that is directly helping Argentine farmers sell their soybeans to China, undercutting the Chinese market for U.S. soybeans,” he said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the deal, saying in a post last week that “Argentina faces a moment of acute illiquidity” and that the U.S. is “prepared to take exceptional measures to provide stability to markets.” Trump praised the move during Milei’s visit, calling Argentina “on the verge of great economic success.”

But Iowa agriculture leaders say the decision couldn’t come at a worse time.

China, once the top buyer of American soybeans, stopped purchasing U.S. crops in May in response to Trump’s ongoing trade dispute. Since then, China has ramped up imports from South America — particularly from Argentina, which recently cut export taxes to make its soybeans more competitive.

Chad Hart, an agricultural economist at Iowa State University, said the ripple effects are already visible.

“When you add all this together, it leads to falling soybean prices, which means lower farm incomes,” Hart said. “At the same time, they’re facing some of the highest costs they’ve ever seen.”

Lehman added that farmers are also still waiting for a promised domestic aid package — one that’s been delayed amid the ongoing government shutdown.

“In the meantime, a promised aid package to U.S. farmers sits on the government’s back shelf,” he said. “This is putting U.S. farmers at risk. How can the current administration justify a bailout for Argentina, continue a trade war with China, and then fail to deliver a promised aid package to U.S. farmers?”

Hart said the strain extends beyond individual farms.

“Agriculture is dragging the general economy down in Iowa,” he said, pointing to layoffs at John Deere and a rise in farm bankruptcies.

Lehman said the state’s leaders need to step in.

“Our Iowa congressional delegation should be demanding answers,” he said.

White House sources said the agreement is also contingent on President Javier Milei remaining in office and maintaining his market-reform agenda, which the Trump administration views as essential to the deal’s success. U.S. officials emphasized that continued U.S. financial support depends on Milei’s government upholding its austerity measures, anti-corruption efforts, and commitment to economic liberalization aimed at restoring investor confidence in Argentina.

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Undercover operation at spa south of Denver ends in prostitution bust after complaint, police say

By Austen Erblat

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    DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — A Denver metro area spa was the target of a recent undercover prostitution sting, which ended with the arrest of the spa’s owner, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office said it received a complaint from a customer who said he was offered sexual acts in exchange for money at Mango Spa, at 6650 S. Vine St. in Centennial. Soon after, a deputy went undercover as a customer at the spa. According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy was given a similar offer and declined, and then the owner, 46-year-old Sun Jingli, was arrested.

Singli faces charges of prostitution and keeping a place of prostitution, a misdemeanor. She’s due in court on Nov. 7. No one else at the spa is facing charges, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office didn’t say it believed there was evidence of human trafficking in this case, but said that businesses with high employee turnover and other suspicious behavior, such as being open later than advertised, only accepting cash, and having to buzz customers in, can point to human trafficking.

And while some experts, advocacy organizations, and law enforcement say prostitution can sometimes be tied to human trafficking, a growing movement is calling for decriminalizing or legalizing sex work to reduce stigmas and increase safety for both sex workers and customers.

Prostitution is illegal in most of the United States, except for several counties in Nevada. In Maine, selling sexual acts is decriminalized, but paying for sexual acts remains illegal.

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La Habra yards flooded with mud after debris clogs storm drain

By Nicole Comstock

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    LA HABRA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Four La Habra yards were flooded with mud and water after debris from a nearby homeless encampment clogged a storm drain during Tuesday’s rain.

“There was just a huge avalanche of mud, and it’s all because of the back railroad,” resident April Contreras said. “We have homeless encampments in the back. We have mattresses back there. We have junk that they’ve left back there.”

Contreras and her neighbors said the trash and furniture from the encampment have clogged the large drainage pipe for years. Their situation worsened after a wall by the pipe broke five years ago, causing rainwater and mud to spill onto their yards.

“It’s a disaster,” Contraras said.

When the neighbors raised their concerns with city officials, the officials directed them to the Union Pacific Railroad, which owns the property. The homeowners claim they’ve been stuck in a loop with both sides blaming each other.

“They’re basically just finger-pointing,” resident Vince Daly said. “We’re residents of the city of La Habra. To be honest with you, I don’t care who owns the property. I think the city needs to take care of their residents and battle it out with the railroad.”

Neighbor Nancy Flores said the flooding caused a sinkhole in her backyard.

“I’m scared because the house is falling down if the water is coming through,” Flores said.

The neighborhood said the railroad has denied their previous claims for damage. In a statement, Union Pacific Railroad said it has tried to clean the property in the past, but can’t keep up with the trash.

“Despite our efforts to keep our property clear and safe, unlawful encampments are set up on our property, resulting in some people treating our property as a dump site,” the railroad wrote. “As quickly as we clean up a site, or remove an encampment, the homeless return. We will continue these efforts.”

The homeowners said the floods have eroded the soil and caused nearby power poles to lean toward their houses.

“Somebody’s going to get seriously injured,” Contreras said. “If this continues, it’s going to be horrible.”

Southern California Edison said it is investigating the power lines in the area.

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School bus driver arrested for allegedly threatening tow yard worker

By Matthew Rodriguez

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    SAN BERNARDINO, California (KCAL, KCBS) — San Bernardino police arrested a school bus driver after he allegedly threatened a tow yard worker on Tuesday.

The driver arrived at the yard in a school bus that was towing a trailer to pick up one of his other cars. He allegedly got angry and pointed a handgun at one of the employees, according to the San Bernardino Police Department.

Officers, who were nearby, responded to the tow yard and detained the suspect. The officers found a rifle and a crossbow sitting on the trailer.

San Bernardino PD booked the man for attempted assault with a deadly weapon. Investigators said he does not work for the school district and is a private bus driver.

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Mom who battled breast cancer while pregnant now advocates for early detection

By Kelsey Jones

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    NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia (WTKR) — A mother who works at Riverside Cancer Care Center in Newport News battled breast cancer while pregnant. Now, she’s sharing her story during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to encourage other women to prioritize early detection.

Kelsey Halley, now a breast cancer survivor, still gets emotional when reflecting on her diagnosis five years later.

“It’s traumatic to be able to be told that you have cancer and to suddenly have the future and the health you thought you would have taken away,” Halley said.

Halley was 30 and in her third trimester of pregnancy when her world changed in December 2020. As an oncology nurse at Riverside Cancer Care Center, she understood the importance of self-breast examinations. When she felt a lump in her breast, she instantly knew it was something more serious than pregnancy symptoms.

Three days before Christmas, she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.

“Everything was suddenly quick acting and they had me see maternal fetal medicine to make sure everything was okay with baby, make sure we were going to make the best option for him,” Halley said.

Despite her high-risk pregnancy due to the cancer diagnosis, Halley was able to deliver a healthy baby boy. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, rates of breast cancer in women under 50 are rising quickly, with women under 40 tending to have more aggressive forms. Halley does not have a family history of breast cancer.

“I was very fortunate that my doctors were listening to me and reacting,” Halley said.

Shortly after giving birth, Halley underwent a mastectomy and started chemotherapy. After ringing the bell, she began hormone therapy to ensure the cancer wouldn’t return. She’s now in remission and credits her family and community for getting her through her darkest days.

When asked if there were days she wanted to give up, Halley was honest about the struggle.

“There were plenty of days that I was just tired of it all and overwhelmed,” Halley said.

Through it all, she’s urging women not to ignore potential cancer symptoms.

“It’s better to say something and have a test come back negative than to not say anything at all and then suddenly the cancer is everywhere,” Halley said.

Her message serves as a reminder that early detection can save lives, making her an advocate not only for herself but for others diagnosed with breast cancer.

Halley is looking forward to walking in this year’s “Making Strides of Peninsula Walk 2025.” The event is Oct. 19 at Newport News Park from noon to 3 p.m., and she encourages survivors, advocates and caregivers to come out.

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Firefighter reunited with premature son after near death house fire

By S.E. Jenkins

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — Home together at last. A Fort Worth firefighter who nearly died in the line of duty is home with his premature son.

While Caleb Halvorson was at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, fighting to survive after an engulfed garage roof collapsed on him last month, his son, Hudson, was in a NICU.

Trapped under a burning, collapsed roof and pulled from debris Just over a month ago, Caleb Halvorson was trapped under a collapsed garage roof while fighting a fire on South Williams Street in Fort Worth’s historic Southside neighborhood. A mayday call went out — every firefighter’s worst fear.

He was trapped for nearly two minutes before his crew pulled him from the debris. Since then, the road to recovery has been long, with multiple skin grafts, infections and burns deeper than doctors initially thought.

Motivated by newborn in NICU Through it all, his greatest motivation, his newborn son, was waiting for him. Baby Hudson was born 13 weeks early, weighing only 1 pound and 9 ounces.

Hudson spent nearly four months in the NICU.

On Monday, the two fighters reunited at home.

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Applebee’s server named Everyday Hero after saving choking customer’s life with quick thinking

By Erin Miller

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    CHESAPEAKE, Virginia (WTKR) — A server at Applebee’s on Sam’s Circle in Chesapeake became a hero when he saved a choking customer’s life during what was supposed to be a birthday dinner celebration.

Harvey Miller had only been working at the restaurant for a couple of weeks when the emergency unfolded on a Sunday evening. A customer enjoying her steak dinner suddenly began choking, and the bartender quickly alerted the rest of the staff.

“One of our patrons was enjoying a lovely steak, and she got it lodged in her throat, and the bartender summoned us in the kitchen that there was somebody choking,” Miller said.

Without hesitation, Miller sprang into action, drawing on years of experience as a Boy Scout and later as a Boy Scout leader.

“Fortunately, I was a Boy Scout most of my life, and a Boy Scout leader after that. So, it was an easy fix. It was easy to come to the rescue to help her,” Miller said.

He said he didn’t think twice about helping. He immediately approached the customer, asked if she was choking, and when she confirmed she was, he performed abdominal thrusts that successfully dislodged the food.

“I just, I hopped to it. It was no thought at all. You know, we knew she was choking. You always ask the first question, can you breathe? Are you choking?’ She acknowledged she was and then I grabbed her and was able to give her some, some thrust in her abdomen, and fortunately, it came right out,” Miller said.

The customer Miller saved was Deborah Goldsmith, who was celebrating a birthday dinner with her fiancé that evening. Goldsmith reached out to News 3 that night to share Miller’s heroic actions.

During a surprise reunion arranged by News 3, Goldsmith met Miller properly for the first time since the incident.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to even learn your name that day. I’m Harvey,” Miller said.

“Hi Harvey, Thank you so much. You just don’t know a blessing,” Goldsmith replied.

“Oh, my goodness, I couldn’t have been here today. So, thank you. You just saved my life. That’s what you did. I appreciate everything I really do,” Goldsmith said.

Miller received News 3’s Everyday Hero Award and a $300 Visa gift card from partner Southern Bank for his quick thinking and life-saving actions.

Miller credits his Boy Scout background for preparing him for the emergency and encourages others to learn similar skills.

“I would advocate for the Boy Scouts. I would advocate for First Aid, CPR, and just being around some positive people like my family here at Applebee’s,” Miller said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTKR verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Police arrest pit bull owner and boyfriend in connection to dog park attack

By Julia Falcon

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    Texas (KTVT) — A woman whose pit bull allegedly attacked a 47-year-old woman at a Lake Worth dog park last week was arrested early this morning, according to police.

Autumn Billings was arrested around 3 a.m. Wednesday in Lake Worth. Her boyfriend, 51-year-old Rhimmain Little, was also arrested and charged with hindering apprehension or prosecutor known felon, police said.

The attack on Wednesday left the victim bleeding from both arms, her leg, and her right side, police said. Billings is being charged with attack by dog causing serious bodily injury, a felony.

“I realize these arrests will not heal any physical wounds, but I pray it brings a subtle sense of relief and closure for the victim and her family,” a Lake Worth police spokesperson said.

Victim hospitalized in serious condition The victim, who called 911 after the attack, was taken to a hospital in stable but serious condition after initially receiving aid from officers before medical personnel arrived, police said.

On Sunday, Lake Worth police said the dog was located and safely secured at the Lake Worth Animal Shelter, voluntarily surrendered by the suspect’s boyfriend. Police said Billings’ boyfriend did not disclose her whereabouts.

Police initially said the pit bull’s owner was possibly a homeless woman who fled the scene before officers could identify her. Officers had unknowingly interacted with the suspect before hearing the victim’s screams.

“Because they feared for the victim’s safety and did not know the suspect or her dog was involved at the time, they immediately left to assist the victim,” Lake Worth police said in a news release. “When they returned after obtaining more information, the suspect was gone.”

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Woman charged with murder in her mother’s death told officers she is “God”

By Paula Wethington

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    Michigan (WWJ) — An Ohio woman has been charged with homicide and felony firearms in the shooting death of her mother on Oct. 5 in Southfield, Michigan.

Southfield Chief of Police Elvin V. Barren said Tuesday that Ada Mae Simmons-Jones, 45, was found fatally wounded in her home on the evening of Oct. 5 in the 18000 block of Bainbridge Drive in Southfield.

Barren said the victim’s 3-year-old grandchild and a 77-year-old woman were also at home at the time of the alleged murder. He said that while she was being arrested, she “referred to herself as God.” He added, “This homicide, this murder, was premeditated.”

Barren said Riley Donaldson, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was taken into custody on Oct. 6 in the parking lot of a CVS store in Detroit. An arraignment hearing took place Oct. 10 in 46th District Court, court records show. She is being held without bond. A probable cause conference is scheduled for Oct. 22. First-degree murder is punishable by life in prison without parole.

“Ada Mae Simmons-Jones’ death is a tragedy,” Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald said about the case. “While nothing can bring her back or repair the loss for her loved ones, we will fight to get her justice.”

In a press conference Tuesday, Barren provided security video that included a timestamp of a car driving up to the home that night and leaving shortly afterward, along with bodycam footage of the arrest taking place.

“In a hurry to flee the scene, our suspect left her purse behind, which contained identifying items,” Barren said.

Barren said Donaldson is also believed to have driven the night of the shooting to Lake Township, Ohio, which is near Toledo, but was found in Detroit the following day.

Three men who were in a car with Donaldson when she was arrested in the drugstore parking lot have been released, police said.

“Those three men did not have anything to do with the homicide,” Barren said.

Investigators say the dispute between Donaldson and Simmons-Jones appears to be over the custody of the 3-year-old girl, who is Donaldson’s daughter but was under the care of Simmons-Jones. The girl is now in the custody and care of a grandfather, Barren said.

“Our condolences to the family,” he said. “In essence, they have lost two people.”

Donaldson does not have a prior criminal history, the chief said.

“We are not going to let anyone use mental health as an escape,” Barren said. “There is a process with that where the judge will decide.”

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