Author: CNN

By Joe Brandt, Madeleine Wright

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    DELAWARE COUNTY, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A group of good Samaritans banded together and lifted a vintage Volkswagen Beetle off a woman pinned underneath after a crash in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Video shared by police in Prospect Park shows the moments after the crash at 11th and Lincoln avenues Monday morning.

Bystanders can be seen rushing toward the vehicle from different directions. Seven people eventually worked together to lift the car and pull her out from underneath, police said.

Chrissy Vollmer, owner of CV Signs LLC, and her delivery driver were among the people who stopped to help.

“There was a lot of people around,” Vollmer said. “And he said, ‘Let’s lift his car.’ And he says, ‘3, 2, 1,’ and everyone pushed up.”

Vollmer said she was working inside her shop when she heard the crash.

“I just heard a bang and a scream,” she said. “So, I ran out and I saw someone’s legs underneath the car and then the lady was screaming, ‘Get me out of this car, get this car off me.'”

Prospect Park Police Chief Dave Madonna said the woman was riding her e-bike down Lincoln Road at about 20 to 25 mph. He said the e-biker was rushing to an appointment and trying to pass a car that was making a right turn when the crash happened.

Madonna said the woman had to undergo surgery and is now recovering from chest injuries at a hospital. He added that the woman could face several hundred dollars in fines in connection with the crash.

During a news conference Wednesday, Madonna emphasized the actions of the bystanders who stopped to help.

“It was an admirable scene, and to be honest with you, it’s something I haven’t seen maybe in my 30 years of doing this,” Vollmer said.

Madonna called the rescue “heroism in its purest form.”

But Vollmer said she was just doing what anyone else would have done.

“I don’t know if I’m really a hero, but I was happy to be there that day,” she said. “And I’m happy that everyone’s OK.”

Police said the Volkswagen driver was not at fault in the crash. He was using his turn signal as he turned into the intersection, and then the e-bike collided with the car.

Police are working to identify all of the good Samaritans seen in the surveillance video so they can be properly commended at a future borough council meeting.

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 Matthew Rodriguez, Nicole Comstock

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    MONROVIA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Monrovia police officers eating lunch at a local Panda Express finally caught a break when the man they’ve been searching for strolled into the restaurant on Wednesday night.

The officers tried to apprehend the man wanted for a parole violation twice before, but he escaped them both times after running onto the freeway.

“On attempt #3, officers were taking a well-deserved Panda Express break when, out of nowhere, the wanted man walked right up to them,” Monrovia PD wrote in a post to Instagram.

Body camera video from the officers showed them spotting the man and rushing out of their seats to tackle him.

“At this point, we’re not sure if it was good police work, bad timing, or the irresistible smell of chow mein,” Monrovia PD wrote. “Either way, an arrest was made. And don’t worry the officers went back for their food and finished their chow mein. Priorities.”

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 Andrea Nakano

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — It’s far from a typical smash-and-grab robbery at a Bay Area jewelry store.

A San Francisco jeweler lost hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of her handmade pieces, along with family heirlooms that have been passed down for generations. A burglar came into Modern Relics in the Richmond District this month and destroyed her life’s work.

Alix Blüh recounts what happened on August 13th when a burglar gutted her store. They destroyed her vintage display cases, swiped the most valuable pieces of jewelry, and took expensive raw materials such as gold and gemstones.

“I’m holding my soul inside my body, and I open up and see this level of destruction to my sacred beautiful shrine of a treasure chest,” Blüh said. “I think at first it was the wind knocked out of me. Then it was wailing and gasping.”

Along with the theft, came the destruction.

“There’s a level of vandalism that doesn’t fit a smash and grab,” she said.

Blüh found a shattered wine bottle and cleaning supplies scattered all around her store.

The biggest mystery for Blüh is how did the thieves know that she kept valuables in her quaint Richmond District neighborhood store. Customers have to make appointments to come in.

“I’ve been here for 20 years and not once advertised that I was jewelry,” she said. “Not once in my windows. It was a mystery what I was doing here.”

Blüh, though, says hitting jewelry stores has gotten more profitable for thieves. When she started 30 years ago, gold was about $250 per ounce. Now she says it can cost over $5,000. She recently visited a pawn shop with an investigator and saw firsthand how easy it is for thieves to make a quick buck.

“Now I know there is a crime ring being supported by chop shops all over the city. Illegal chop shops,” she said. “This woman in the back was cleaning jewelry and melting it. Cleaning gold and there was a Ziploc bag on the floor and I just knew it’s all gold stolen jewelry.”

The sign outside her door says her store will not be open until at least 2027. She says when it does, it will become an art studio for the community. This has been a difficult time for Blüh, but she’s been comforted by the tremendous support she’s received from people all over the world.

“I’m heart-wrenching beyond belief but the outpouring of love and support from the community has absolutely buoyed me with such a profound sense of love and gratitude,” she 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 Madeleine Wright

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    Philadelphia (KYW) — Since their debut more than six decades ago, The Berenstain Bears have sold hundreds of millions of copies, been translated into dozens of languages and captivated generations of readers around the world.

The creators of The Berenstain Bears, Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain, both grew up in Philadelphia during the Great Depression.

Their upbringing in a city known for its tight-knit neighborhoods and strong sense of community helped shape the wholesome, family-centered stories that define the series.

“They always say Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods and the neighborhoods are all a bunch of families and people and communities,” Mike Berenstain, their son, said. “I think that influenced how we create the characters in the world, the Bear world, that we created.”

Stan and Jan Berenstain launched the series in 1962 with The Big Honey Hunt. What began as a single title has since grown into more than 400 books and counting, with Mike Berenstain now carrying on the family legacy.

“I’m surprised,” Mike Berenstain said, “that people who know, of course, the Berenstain Bears are totally shocked that their origin is Philadelphia. I’m surprised. Very often people I meet who know, of course, the Berenstain Bears, they’re totally shocked that their origin is Philadelphia.”

Today, Mike Berenstain works from his home studio in Ambler, Montgomery County, where he continues to bring Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Brother Bear, Sister Bear and Honey to life.

That sunny dirt road deep in Bear Country was inspired by the rolling hills and neighborhood life of Solebury Township, Bucks County, where Jan Berenstain had a home studio.

Now a new generation of readers is discovering the Bears.

During a Berenstain Bears story time at Wissahickon Valley Public Library, where more than a dozen children gathered, 2-year-old Gabriel Howell from Ambler already had a favorite.

“The puppy story,” Gabriel said with a smile.

His mother, Victoria Howell, said she and her husband both grew up reading the books and are excited to pass them along.

“The stories of the Berenstain Bears still resonate with children nowadays because they’re lessons that will never go away,” Howell said. “They’re morals that will always stick.”

Mike Berenstain, now 74, said he has no plans to retire. He continues to publish four to six new books each year, keeping the series fresh while staying true to its core values. He believes the series’ success comes from its vivid illustrations, humor and heart.

“It’s the fact that they are very child and family-friendly,” he said. “They’re very helpful both in terms of kids learning to read and also learning values and social life, how to behave.”

He also noted that parents of children with autism often share how the books help their kids better understand social situations and interactions, something he found both surprising and meaningful.

Beyond books, the Berenstain Bears have expanded into television shows, video games and merchandise. Mike Berenstain hinted that something new may soon be on the horizon.

“There is a kind of what you might call a major media project in the works,” he said. “I’m not at liberty to say more about that, but I’m hoping that Bear fans will be pleased with what happens over the next year or so.”

The Bears may live in a treehouse deep in Bear Country, but their roots remain firmly planted in the Philadelphia area.

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 Adam Thompson

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    Baltimore (WJZ) — A Baltimore City police officer was arrested for allegedly raping a woman he encountered while responding to an unrelated domestic incident in Baltimore before driving her to her home in Harford County.

Daniel Oxendine faces two counts each of first-degree rape, second-degree rape and engaging in a sexual act with a victim or witness of an investigation by a law enforcement officer. He is also charged with burglary with intent to commit rape and misconduct in office.

Harford County deputies said Oxendine was taken into custody Thursday with assistance from the Baltimore Police Department following a nearly three-month investigation. He was transported to the Harford County Detention Center.

The investigation began June 3, when deputies responded to a hospital after a woman reported that she had been sexually assaulted. Investigators later identified Oxendine as a suspect through DNA evidence.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said the woman needed a ride home after an unrelated domestic incident in Baltimore, and Oxendine’s supervisor authorized him to provide transportation in a patrol car to Edgewood.

Deputies allege that Oxendine entered the woman’s apartment and sexually assaulted her.

“He violated the public trust, in this manner, with someone who already went through a traumatic incident,” Gahler said.

The woman was taken to the hospital for a sexual assault forensic exam, during which investigators collected evidence, including DNA.

Deputies said forensic testing conclusively identified Oxendine as the suspect. Investigators subsequently obtained an arrest warrant.

“This is certainly an example of someone who has violated that public trust,” Gahler said. “It stains the police officers who are out there serving the community across this country every single day.”

The Baltimore Police Department said it is aware of Oxendine’s arrest and that he has been suspended without pay during the investigation.

“His police powers were previously suspended, and he is now suspended without pay,” a Baltimore Police spokesperson said. “While the Harford County Sheriff’s Office conducts its investigation, BPD is fully cooperating with the 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 Dean Fioresi

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    LONG BEACH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The search is underway for a person who went missing while jet skiing off the Long Beach coast on Sunday night.

Long Beach Fire Department Captain Jack Crabtree told CBS LA that they were contacted at around 10 p.m. upon learning that two members of a large group of people riding jet skis were unaccounted for near the Alamitos Bay Landing.

Crabtree said that by 10:30 p.m., they were being assisted by the U.S. Coast Guard and Long Beach police as they searched for the two missing jet skiers, an unidentified male and female.

The female, who hasn’t been identified, was found on the breakwall, where she was able to flag down some fishermen who contacted LBFD, Crabtree said. She was rescued from the area by firefighters and assessed on their boat. It’s unclear if she required hospitalization.

The second jet skier had not been located as of 11:30 p.m. LBFD officials said that the search will continue throughout the night.

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 Lauren Pozen

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    PASADENA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A Pasadena homeowner came face-to-face with a group of would-be burglars who were trying to break into his home on Friday night.

The homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, said that his home surveillance cameras captured the group of at least four masked men trying to enter through the back of his home. Despite a series of warnings from the security system, the suspects continued.

“It is unsettling. They were brazen, cavalier,” the man said. “Nothing was going to deter them.”

The cameras captured a car driving up his street in Upper Hastings Ranch before stopping next to his driveway. Minutes later, he got an alert that there was motion on his property.

“When they drove by, the security lights went on. Came back, the security lights went on,” the man said. “They came right through the backyard, your men in masks, fully covered with gloves and marched into my backyard.”

As he watched them getting closer to the sliding glass doors at the back of his home, the security system’s alarm started to go off.

“I ran downstairs. I didn’t know there was four of them,” he said. “When I saw four men in masks with gloves through my window, casing my house, it was a shock.”

The men took off running, at which point the homeowner quickly called 911. Despite their fast response, the suspects had already escaped.

He’s taking the incident as a chance to warn his neighbors to stay alert.

“I want everyone to be vigilant. When the fires came through, we were Pasadena Strong. I want to continue to be Pasadena Strong. I want everyone to know this is happening,” he said.

Even though the group left empty-handed, the homeowner says that they took something far more valuable than one of his belongings.

“You can’t replace the feeling of security at home; our house is our refuge, and if that is taken away, it is taken away for life,” he said.

Pasadena police said that no arrests have been made, but the incident came at a time when they’ve increased patrols in the area.

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 Itay Hod

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    SANN FRANCISCO, California (KPIX) — After nearly a month in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, Alevtina Soboleva and her daughter emerged through the doors at San Francisco International Airport Sunday morning.

“It’s been really hard for both of us. I’m glad we made it home,” her daughter, Daria, said.

The 59-year-old Russian asylum-seeker from Sunnyvale arrived in the Bay Area two days after being released from a federal facility in Louisiana.

Soboleva was detained on July 20 at the Buffalo airport as she and her daughter prepared to fly home from a trip to Niagara Falls.

Daria said immigration officers stopped her mother before their flight and took her into custody, despite her asylum application still being under review.

For days, Daria did not know where her mother was. She said Soboleva was held in a cage and denied water and bathroom access.

“She was crying and my heart was breaking because she was very scared,” Daria said.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said that Soboleva “is an illegal alien from Russia who was admitted to the United States lawfully in 2021 but failed to depart the country in the required time frame.”

“Any allegations of poor medical care and inability to contact family are false,” the Department of Homeland Security said.

Soboleva came to the U.S. on a visitor visa. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she applied for asylum.

On Wednesday, she appeared before an immigration judge who set her bond at $10,000.

Bill Hing, professor of law and migration at the University of San Francisco, said Soboleva has a compelling case.

“The rule of law says that if you have a one-in-10 chance of being persecuted, you should be granted asylum. That’s only a 10% chance and so based on that, I believe that she will be granted asylum,” he said.

Soboleva’s detention, he said, should serve as a warning to other immigrants who may be considering air travel, both internationally and domestically.

For Soboleva and her daughter, the immediate focus is much simpler: tea, a warm blanket, and some rest.

“I’m hopeful. I’m very grateful for all the help that we had so far. We have loads of her friends waiting for her,” Daria 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 Christa Swanson

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    DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — The Jewish Community Center in Denver is working to help families in need by providing gently used baby items and essential supplies.

Sunday marked the grand opening of the center’s Community Baby Closet, which offers resources such as diapers, wipes, newborn clothing, baby gear and postpartum supplies. It’s open to anyone, and the supplies are free of charge.

Community Baby Closet sponsor Natalie Siegel said, “Having a child is expensive. It’s a lot to consider, and it gets to be a lot for families. So, to be able to come here, get what you need and feel supported in the community is what we’re after.”

Organizers say it’s also a great way to protect the environment.

“The cost of diapers, formula, clothing and other basic baby supplies can place a significant financial burden on families, particularly during the already demanding transition to parenthood. The Community Baby Closet helps ensure local parents experiencing a hardship can access essential items for themselves and their babies at no cost. It also creates a community-based system for sharing usable goods that might otherwise go to waste,” the JCC said.

Families can also give back by donating what they no longer use. The JCC encouraged the community to donate gently used clothing, baby gear, and supplies they have to reduce waste through reuse.

The baby closet is open on:

– Mondays from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. – Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. – Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. and from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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 Julia Avant

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    STERLING HEIGHTS, Michigan (WWJ) — What looks like a routine traffic stop is actually part of additional driver training done by police in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

“I really don’t know how to describe it; it’s a dream come true,” said Lucas Crescentini.

Lucas Crescentini is a karate-loving teenager. He just got his driver’s license and saved up his money to buy his first car. But his current new driver fear is a little different, with him having autism.

“Trying to, like, understand what might happen and what’s happening around you because it’s wired differently for me, personally,” said Lucas Crescentini.

“We just have to trust their instinct, trust their intuition and let them explore,” said Lucas’s father, Luciano Crescentini.

That’s why Luciano Crescentini reached out to the Sterling Heights Police Department.

“We have the resources. We have this program, and as you can see, it’s very beneficial,” said Lieutenant Aaron Susalla with the Sterling Heights Police Department.

It’s called the SAVES Project. Through it, police officers create situations to teach those with special needs what to expect if they were to be pulled over.

For Lucas Crescentini, the officer he worked with was his high school resource officer.

Drivers are given a blue envelope to put their insurance and vehicle registration in to alert officers that the driver has special needs, and a bumper sticker that police can spot on the road.

“It makes me feel a little more prepared for the future,” said Lucas Crescentini.

The program has put his parents at ease.

“I definitely feel better and I definitely feel more relieved that he’s going to know what to do. I was nervous that if he got pulled over with his autism that he was going to be nervous and scared, and the police officers wouldn’t understand,” said Luciano Crescentini.

Lieutenant Aaron Susalla wants the community to know their officers are well-trained to recognize these situations on the road.

“What it looks like is the officers can identify that, and they have the ability to safely conduct a traffic stop and bring down the tension in those kinds of situations,” said Susalla.

The police department hopes to host more students through the program. Contact the Sterling Heights Police Department if you are interested.

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.