Author: CNN

KCNC

By Kelly Werthmann

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — If you’ve driven down E-470 past the Aurora Highlands lately, you’ve likely seen a building that has already lived two lives: first as a highway maintenance facility and currently as a visitor center. Soon, this structure in the eastern part of the Denver metro area will take on its most critical purpose yet: Aurora’s 18th fire station.

It’s a project Aurora Fire Rescue Chief Alec Oughton calls a “perfect location” to heal a stretched-thin emergency system.

“We’re very, very excited about this project and what it will mean for our organization, and for the community we take care of,” he said. “This is a great opportunity to give this building its third life.”

As Colorado’s third-largest city grows to more than 414,000 residents, the expansion is moving faster than the infrastructure can keep up, leaving newer neighborhoods miles away from the nearest help. In the Aurora Highlands, response times currently lag between 12 and 18 minutes — that’s an eternity in a business where every second counts.

“(Station 18) is going to shave 7 to 10 minutes off our response times to some areas of Aurora Highlands,” said Oughton. “It will have a very significant impact on this area of the city, and really not just in the Highlands itself but a couple miles north or south … it’s going to have a significant impact on how quickly we can get in there as the first responding unit.”

Oughton said, through a partnership with the community’s developer, repurposing the existing building — located near E-470 and Aurora Highlands Parkway — made the future for station project more attainable for the city.

“Fire stations are not inexpensive,” he said. “Trying to balance a budget while trying to balance emergency response infrastructure is a lot and takes a lot of collaboration.”

This “cobbling together” of resources, as Deputy City Manager Laura Perry described it, is a necessity in a city facing a nearly $2 billion list of city infrastructure needs.

“In total, our projects total $1.9 billion. Obviously, the city cannot afford to do that within the means we have available,” Perry said. “So, we really want to understand what matters most to folks.”

The challenge is a dual-front battle of “keeping up and catching up.” While new communities need protection, older parts of the city are aging out.

“We have five fire stations that are over 50 years old,” Perry said.

Recently, AFR Station 9 had to be demolished and rebuilt after its foundation began to crumble. The strain is also visible within the Aurora Police Department, where aging buildings that were never intended to be police stations need updating. In a citywide community survey last year, Perry said thousands of residents gave feedback about their wants for improved public safety.

“About 50% of the responses told us that folks want to see investment in stronger response times, fire stations, police … and that’s coming forward for further conversations through a variety of meetings we have planned over the next couple of weeks,” she said.

Those meetings, part of the city’s Build Up Aurora campaign, aim to discuss long-term solutions for projects ranging from public safety to transportation, parks, libraries, as well as accessibility. The city is seeking community input, Perry explained, to ensure it prioritizes what residents want most.

“That is a continual challenge in meeting the demands and needs of a growing city,” Perry added. “There are tools in the toolbox the city hasn’t used to fund capital projects, which are bonds as one example. We really want to understand through (Build Up Aurora) what the community needs and values. So, at meetings coming up, attendees will be asked to rank their top 5.”

For Aurora Fire, that feedback helps guide projects like the in-progress Station 18 — expected to be operational late this fall — and the future Station 19, which city council approved and allocated funds to be built on the southeast side in 2027. Chief Oughton said those two new stations will make a life-saving difference for the community, but the department will need at least three more in the next decade, he believes, to keep pace with Aurora’s growth.

“I think we’re making that progress,” he 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.

KOVR

By Ashley Sharp

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    SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — A Sacramento woman is in mourning after her small dog was viciously attacked by a loose dog just outside their Natomas home on Friday.

The incident was caught on Elizabeth Gifford’s home surveillance camera near Valley Oaks Park.

“It came out of nowhere. Literally came out of nowhere,” Gifford said through tears.

It shows the moment a loose dog she describes as a white pit-bull mix rushes up to her yard as her five-pound Maltese had walked briefly from her garage to greet the neighbor in the yard next door.

“She was like, my soulmate. It was crazy,” Gifford said of her dog, named Giggit.

Inside Gifford’s home now sits an empty dog bed, food bowls that will not be refilled, and a hollow harness: painful reminders that her beloved dog will not be coming home.

Gifford says the attack happened on Friday morning as she was in her garage unloading groceries from the car, her dog at her side.

“Then, next thing you know, I see this dog flying across the street, and then grabs my dog. It happened so fast I didn’t even know what to do with myself,” Gifford said.

On the Ring camera footage, her traumatic screams for help can be heard echoing through the neighborhood as she tries to physically fight the large dog off of Giggit.

“I grabbed the dog, and I was trying to get it to release my little puppy. And then it just, we fought for a bit, and it just went running across the street with her in its mouth,” Gifford said.

Gifford also sustained minor injuries during the incident and was bitten by the dog.

Neighbor Parag Kate saw the dramatic incident unfold.

“I was so scared looking at the scene itself, right?” Parag said.

Neighbor Andrea Morgan heard Gifford’s screams and rushed to her front porch.

“I’m like, what’s wrong? What’s wrong? And then I happened to glance over at the park, and I saw the dog with her dog in its mouth,” said Morgan.

At Valley Oak Park, Gifford and neighbors finally freed Giggit from the dog’s grip and it ultimately ran off.

Even after emergency vet care, Giggit died from severe injuries to her throat and body this weekend.

“She’s gone, you know, now she’s gone. I mean, I could never, ever replace her,” Gifford said through sobs.

Now, the search by both neighbors and Sacramento Animal Care Services is on to find the loose dog and its owner, if it has one.

Gifford hung nearly 50 posters in north Natomas, picturing the responsible dog that she describes as a white pit-bull mix with a black spot on its back and no collar.

A neighbor’s child says he spotted the dog loose again in the park on Sunday.

“He just started running around all the tables over there, and everyone was just looking at the dog. I mean, of course, no leash, no owner, nothing, no collar. And even I was surprised, and I didn’t know what to do that second,” said Soham Kate.

Soham’s father, like many neighbors, is on high alert.

“I told my son, if you see any dog running around like this without leash and owner, first of all, stay away from that dog,” Parag said. “Then if you see any adult, reach out to them, tell them so that they can help to catch that dog and take it back to the owner or police or animal control.”

Through Gifford’s grief, she hopes that this does not happen again to another animal, or even a child.

“I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. That would just break my heart, that I couldn’t do anything about it, and say something and warn people, you know?” Gifford said.

CBS Sacramento checked in with Sacramento Animal Care Services. They have not yet confirmed where their investigation stands, but Gifford said animal control officers called her and told her they are actively patrolling, looking for the loose dog. As of Monday night, she did not have a report that it had been captured.

It is not known where the dog came from, but Gifford says other neighbors report they have spotted this large white dog before over the past year and say they have seen it roaming, acting aggressively toward other animals and people.

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.

WWJ

By Veronica Ortega

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    FLINT TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WWJ) — More than 60 animals living in what police are calling “deplorable” conditions were rescued on Tuesday from a home in Flint Township, Michigan.

Genesee County Animal Control officers were called to a home on North Elms Road for a report of loose dogs running around on the property. What they found was something far worse.

Through the home’s windows, animal control says it observed dozens of dogs barking.

“It wasn’t totally clear, but they could see some of the dogs in the house, and, you know, seemed to be pretty unsanitary inside the house,” said Jay Parker, director of Genesee County Animal Control.

After the discovery, Flint Township police were called. Bodycam video shows the moment police walked through the door. Some officers rushed back out to get a mask.

“We all worked together with code enforcement in reference to getting a warrant for this place so we could go into force, entry into the place,” Parker said.

“I could taste the ammonia in the back of my throat. The ammonia level was pretty high. It’s definitely in a danger range, especially for animals.”

The animals lived in a home covered in trash, rotting furniture, and mounds of feces.

A total of 64 animals were rescued. Twenty-seven animals were found dead in trash bags by the front door.

“There was not a single inch of that home that was clean, you know, there were, there were no areas where the dogs could run to kind of get a break from the filth,” said Hannah Peterson, social media specialist at Genesee County Animal Control.

The room they’re housed in now at the shelter is quiet. The dogs shake in fear and cling to the wall or each other inside their kennels.

“Our shelter is full, so we need to be able to keep intaking animals that do need help within our community, whether that be strays or an emergency situation,” Peterson said.

Animal control is looking for rescue partners to take in the 61 dogs and 3 cats that were saved. An “emergency pop up” event will take place Saturday to encourage potential pet owners to take in animals that were already in the agency’s care and cleared for placement into homes.

“Getting them out of here as soon as possible, getting them into homes where they can start to heal, and you know, physically or, you know, emotionally heal, build confidence and get healthy, and then they’ll be moving on to find their forever homes,” Peterson said.

Two people are registered as homeowners. The director of Genesee Animal Control does not believe they lived inside the home.

“As an owner of an animal, you have the responsibility to take care of that animal,” Parker said.

“I think at one time there was, it looked like they were using the bathroom in the house, maybe at one point, but the rest of the house, I could not imagine that they were living in there. I think it kind of turned into a big dog house,” Parker said.

No arrests have been made as of Wednesday, as the investigation is ongoing. Officials say a report will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office to determine charges.

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.

WCBS

By Vanessa Murdock

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    CRANFORD, New Jersey (WCBS) — Life in one New Jersey town just got a whole lot sweeter. A man crafted a Good Humor truck out of snow and even sells ice cream out of it for a great cause.

Robert Schott serves up happiness from his front lawn in Cranford, where he parked his truck, which is 99% made out of snow.

Complete with headlights, rims, and a front seat to sit and enjoy, say, a toasted almond, the 1953 Chevy model is “OHSOGOOD,” according to its license plate.

Back then, a Good Humor bar cost only 13 cents, but Schott is selling them for $5 because all profits benefit the Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation, which is based in Mountainside. Schott’s friend, Charlie Newman, received care there. Schott’s father, Joseph, who is now just days away from his 104th birthday, spent time doing science experiments and playing games with patients.

“In the 1960s and 1970s, I volunteered there,” Joseph Schott said. “I loved it and I’d like to think they enjoyed seeing me.”

Many people stopped by Monday to appreciate the snow incognito, but the grand opening happened Friday evening. Neighbor Lisa Hunt helped bring the event to life and said the line wrapped around the corner.

“When everybody showed up and Robert was standing there, I thought this is what we did it for,” Hunt said.

Since that grand opening, Schott has raised more than $5,000 for Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation.

On line were some of the children being cared for at Children’s Specialized Hospital.

“The delight the kids were getting — kids with really difficult challenges in their lives and the parents who put so much out to care for their children — that got to my heart,” Robert Schott 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.

KYW

By Stephanie Stahl

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A better treatment for sickle cell disease, which strikes mainly people of color, is transforming medicine in Philadelphia, making this Black History Month especially meaningful for one local family.

This is a new gene therapy that works with the patient’s own blood, which gets reprogrammed. It’s already changing one young man’s life.

Austin Louis, 20, stays busy almost a year after getting a revolutionary treatment for sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that causes excruciating pain.

“It totally worked, I feel amazing,” he said.

For the first time in his life, Louis can enjoy being outside in the cold, which triggered pain before the treatment.

“I feel totally different,” he said. “It’s a brand new body. I feel like a new human.”

Louis was the first patient at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia — outside of a clinical trial — to get a new FDA-approved treatment.

It involves collecting his stem cells, which are then manipulated with a gene editing technology called CRISPR to normalize the blood.

Last March, Louis was back at CHOP for the infusion of his reconstituted blood.

“I totally feel relieved,” Louis said.

His parents, who moved the family from New York to South Jersey to be closer to CHOP, are relieved, too.

Because sickle cell disease affects mainly people of color, this Black History Month is especially poignant for the family.

“This is history in the making,” Jennifer Louis, Austin Louis’ mother, said. “I think it’s pretty amazing.”

It’s also a big accomplishment for the team at CHOP, offering a novel new way of treating — and maybe even curing — sickle cell disease.

“You don’t get these very often in your career. So for me, wow, this is a big one,” said Dr. Alexis Thompson, attending hematologist at CHOP. “To be able to imagine something that is as extraordinary as gene therapy affecting a population that so often feels overlooked and is underserved by our health care system, it’s just so rewarding.”

A growing number of patients have received the gene therapy, putting a future within reach where sickle cell disease is not such a devastating diagnosis.

Austin Louis is glad to be living without pain for the first time in his life – and helping others along the way.

“I’m paving the way for others,” he said. “So I feel great about that.”

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.

WBZ

By Mike Sullivan

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    SOMERVILLE, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A good Samaritan in Somerville, Massachusetts needs help clearing a sidewalk that hasn’t been shoveled for weeks because the building behind it caught fire in early December.

Brad Stone says the inches of ice and snow make it hard for people with disabilities to get through the neighborhood. It may force some people to move into the street.

“I work in an ER, and we have had a couple of fatalities that way. People are in their wheelchairs, and a snowplow doesn’t see them or a truck doesn’t see them,” Stone said.

He set out to clear the stretch on Marion Street in an effort to improve the situation.

“I would say probably six inches of pure ice, and then on top of that is another inch or two or three of snow,” said Stone. “It’s exhausting, but I’m motivated.”

Stone’s father is an Army veteran who now battles muscular dystrophy. He is now required to use a wheelchair. Stone’s nephew also suffers from the disease.

“He was of able body, and now if you were to see him, it’s pretty sad. He can’t pick his hands above his head,” said Stone speaking of his father.

His friend Ben is also in a wheelchair and lives in the neighborhood. He says this stretch can be difficult for him to get through.

“Everything just accumulated, and being that I was off work, and a nice day, I got possessed with the motivation to chisel it out,” said Stone.

There is no one to shovel the sidewalk because the building behind it caught fire. An Eversource worker saved someone who was stuck on a balcony during the fire. The worker used their bucket truck to get the person to safety.

“It’s post-devastating fire, so no one lives here at the moment,” said Stone. “I guess there is an owner somewhere, but I think they are going through a pretty rough time.”

He is literally picking up for them, but it’s a big job, so he is hoping his neighbors will pitch in to keep the area clear for the winter.

“That’s the hope that people say, ‘I have an extra few minutes, and arms that work, I will come help,’ but even if they don’t, I will still do it,” said Stone.

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.

WBZ

By Matt Schooley

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — A new racket sport called Typti aims to tap into the popularity of pickleball while also solving some of the noise complaints surrounding the sport.

If you are familiar with pickleball, you know the high-pitched and repetitive sound that has become the center of neighborhood controversies around the country.

In Braintree, the city had so many complaints they had to put up a sound barrier around their local courts. Nantucket considered a ban on pickleball due to noise complaints.

Typti appears to solve that problem.

“It’s a big foam ball, a little bit bigger than a tennis ball, very quiet, which is kind of interesting. It doesn’t make any noise at all,” Stephen Mitchell, co-owner of the Boston Pickle Club told WBZ NewsRadio. “And it is a lot of fun. I can see why people would be getting into it.”

Mitchell said the game is so new, he’s only played it once. He described it as a cross between pickleball and tennis that is played on a pickleball court.

“I sort of fixed everything that was wrong with tennis and everything that was wrong with other racket sports and made what I think is the perfect racket sport,” Typti creator Steve Bellamy, founder of the Tennis Channel, told WBZ-TV. “There’s so much joy when you play Typti.”

The sport has some big-name investors that include former Saints quarterback Drew Bres and actor Chris Pine.

According to Bellamy, Tipti is easy on the body and great for beginners.

“The most important thing about Typti is the barrier of entry is so low. You can go out with no racket skills whatsoever and you are playing a racket sport,” Bellamy said.

The rules are a bit different than pickleball. You don’t need to worry about the kitchen like you do in pickleball. And if you hit it into the net, the ball is still live. But you have to use your hand, foot or really any body part.

“You can use any part of your body at any time to use a ball strike. The only thing you can’t do is hit the string bed twice,” Bellamy said.

Mitchell said because pickleball infrastructure is already in place, Typti opens up a new opportunity for business owners.

“It’s definitely going to be interesting to see what happens with it in this area. It is something for us, in terms of being a pickleball facility. It’s played on a pickleball court. So it’s another sport we can use at our facilities,” Mitchell said.

And it could offer some peace and quiet for those who live near the courts.

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.

WJZ

By Dennis Valera

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    HOWARD COUNTY, Maryland (WJZ) — While stationed overseas, a Howard County veteran made a lifelong friend — a cat she named Gigi.

When it came time to return home, Nicol Stroud knew Gigi had to come, too.

It’s been nearly a month since Gigi has been living with the Stroud family in Marriottsville. They were reunited thanks to SPCA International’s Patriot Pets program.

Stroud said it didn’t take much for Gigi to get comfortable around her.

“She always came around [us], everyone there just kinda started taking care of her,” Stroud said.

Soon, Gigi became a staple in Stroud’s life in Israel, taking the cat to her apartment, with her to work, they spent almost every second with each other.

So, when her time in Israel was coming up, she knew Gigi had to come to the U.S. with her.

“I talked to my husband and I said we can’t leave her behind,” Stroud recalled. “She was a stray cat. I didn’t know what was gonna happen to her.”

As Stroud looked into it, she came across SPCA International’s Patriot Pets program.

Since 2008, it’s helped rescue over 1,600 dogs and cats and reunite them with servicemembers.

Lori Kalef, SPCA International’s director of programs, said the organization handles all of the costs and the red tape.

“We always make sure we’re following the governing rules of whichever country we’re working in and the import regulations in the United States,” Kalef said.

Stroud’s husband, Greg Stroud, and their four kids met Gigi when they visited Nicol Stroud in Israel.

He saw the bond between his wife and the cat firsthand.

“[The bond gave] her something to nurture, really have something that [could distract her from work] where she was,” he said.

It was a no brainer Gigi would be becoming a part of their family.

Greg Stroud, an Army veteran himself, said he’s seen many “tearful goodbyes” because animals servicemembers bonded with couldn’t come to the U.S.

“[Getting Gigi here] meant the world to me, I don’t know how else to describe it,” Nicol Stroud said. “Not having to always wonder what happened to her, knowing she’s here in our house, being loved on by four kids, myself, my husband.”

Patriot Pets is now in over 35 locations. The program relies on donations and other support to do this 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.