Author: CNN

WFOR

By Julia Falcon

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra’s home caught fire early Thursday morning in South Miami-Dade, prompting a massive response from first responders near Coral Gables.

Records obtained by CBS News Miami confirm the property belongs to Spoelstra, who was seen outside the home as firefighters battled the blaze.

According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the call came in around 4:30 a.m. at the home on the 4800 block of SW 80th Street. Firefighters were still seen battling hot spots around 8:30 a.m.

When firefighters got to the scene, there were two structures on the property “fully involved” by the flames, MDFR said. The call was then upgraded to a second alarm for more manpower. MDFR said 20 units responded to the fire due to its size. The privacy wall and tall trees surrounding the home also made it difficult to get to the fire, MDFR said, with only one point of entry.

MDFR said that due to a partial collapse, firefighters switched to a defensive attack and continued to extinguish the flames.

No injuries have been reported, MDFR said.

CBS News Miami has reached out to the Miami Heat for comment. The Heat played a game against the Denver Nuggets last night in Denver.

Spoelstra, who has been with the Miami Heat organization since 1995 and has served as head coach since 2008, has led the team to multiple NBA Finals appearances and two championships.

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KPIX

By Loureen Ayyoub

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    REDWOOD CITY, California (KPIX) — Some gyms offer more than just fitness. They can also provide a way forward, and for professional fighter Victor Pasillas, Undisputed Boxing Gym has done exactly that.

Pasillas said the gym, based in Redwood City, changed his life so profoundly that he left his old life in East Los Angeles behind to start anew with his coach, Brian Schwartz.

“This is the gym that brought me from Los Angeles to the Bay Area.”

Moving from Southern California to the Bay Area shifted the entire trajectory of his life. Growing up surrounded by gang violence, Pasillas said the Bay Area taught him how to thrive despite hardship.

“It’s been very, very hard times, you know. Moments where we had to live in very uncomfortable circumstances, eating oatmeal at night,” he said. “And the Bay Area is what taught me to truly be a provider. And not worry about having one source of income, but six, seven incomes. It just taught me to be an entrepreneur. That’s something I can say the Bay Area has taught me.”

But the transformation didn’t come without a fight. Pasillas faced heavy trauma as a child, including the incarceration of his mother. It’s why boxing became so much more than a sport.

“Boxing has adopted me. It has made me its child. It has loved me, and I loved it back. It saved my life, point blank,” Pasillas said. “Sometimes, as a kid, things are given to you that you don’t want. You want a set of parents, you want something that’s yours. And as a kid, I never had that. So boxing — I knew it was mine. It was my sport. I belonged there.”

Undisputed Boxing Gym, founded by kickboxing veteran Brian Schwartz, has become a place of empowerment for athletes and beginners alike.

“Especially as fighters, sometimes we don’t talk about the emotional components and the psychological components that go into fighting,” Schwartz said. “When you talk about being tough, being strong, and having that killer instinct — there are things that go on in your head, those natural thoughts that people have, that just aren’t really acceptable for fighters to talk about. But to be able to talk about that kind of stuff and pass that on, along with all the moves, is such a great gift. I feel like he’s learned so much through that whole process because of that.”

Now preparing for his next match, Pasillas said he hopes to inspire unity and growth within the Bay Area boxing community.

“We got to put our fighters together so we can learn from each other,” he said. “I feel like the only way to get better and succeed in your world is by competing and being competitive.”

For Pasillas, that healthy competition has done more than sharpen his skills, it has helped him grow and rewrite his story on his own terms.

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KCBS

By Nicole Comstock, Dean Fioresi

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    ORANGE COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — An animal veterinary hospital in Orange County claims that a contractor who had previously laid the cement for a parking lot at their new facility returned to tear up the work over a payment dispute on Tuesday.

Officials with Orange Friendly Animal Hospital told CBS Los Angeles that one of their contractors returned to their facility in Orange with heavy equipment in the early morning, which they used to begin demolishing the concrete that was poured a few months ago.

“They broke the curbs too,” said Joe, a neighbor living at the senior living community next door. “They did a good job, sabotaged pretty good.’

Another neighbor named Roger said that the contractor also knocked holes in the wall, which he says now look like “somebody done shot it with a bazooka.”

Hospital employees say that they have receipts proving that they paid for the job in full, and that the contractor claims he wasn’t paid for the work that was done.

While the official verdict remains unclear, with requests for a statement from the contractor and the Orange Police Department still pending, neighbors have begun discussing the debacle amongst themselves.

“If they owed the man, they should have paid the man,” Roger said.

“Way overboard,” said another man named Ian. “If you think you’re gonna get paid after that, he’s not arbitrarily intelligent.”

Police investigators have taken photos of the damage and a report on the incident, as well as had some of the heavy equipment left behind towed away.

For now, veterinary workers must advise new patients that the parking lot is unsafe for use and that they should use the rear of the building to access the facility.

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KDKA

By Ricky Sayer

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    PLUM, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A domestic cat in Plum died after being shot with a pellet or BB gun, its owner said.

Ronald Amato said Ragnar, his 14-month-old orange tabby cat, was killed outside his home on Sunday. He believes the shooting was an intentional act.

“It was like a nightmare,” Amato said. “I was devastated. I was bawling my eyes out. That cat was the nicest cat you’ll ever meet. He slept with me every night.”

After being tipped off by neighborhood kids, he found Ragnar dead just outside his backyard fence on Sunday. Initially, he thought his cat had been hit by a car, but then he found what was clearly a hole in his cat.

“I felt around on the other side and felt like a pellet or a BB inside of him, so that I knew he was shot,” Amato said.

That’s when he said the sadness turned into anger.

“I’m pretty angry about it, I’m upset,” he said. “It’s kind of disbelief. I can’t believe someone would shoot a cat.”

Some of the pellets that didn’t hit his cat left marks on the siding of his garage, leading him to believe it was intentional, he said. It appeared that Ragnar had been standing on the backyard fence when he was shot.

Amato described Ragnar as an affectionate cat.

“He cuddled me constantly,” Amato said. “He constantly slept on my chest. He rubbed his face against me. When he was a kitten, he’d wake me up every morning with his wet nose on my face.”

He called the police, who said that they were investigating, including looking at security camera footage.

“I hope we can catch them,” Amato said. “People need held accountable.”

It’s especially important because there are so many other cats in the neighborhood, including Ragnar’s brother Rolo.

“I think I’m going to get a kitten, just so [Rolo] has somebody,” Amato said.

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WBZ

By Tammy Mutasa, Mike Toole

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    FOXBORO, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A construction worker from Pennsylvania, who was in Massachusetts for a job, lost part of a leg in a hit-and-run crash on Interstate 95 in Foxboro. His family said he’s “fighting to survive.”

David Wachinski was working on a construction detail on I-95 north around 2:15 a.m. Monday. Massachusetts State Police said he picked up a sign to start setting up, and that’s when a driver hit him and drove away.

Wachinski, a husband and father of two, was rushed to Boston Medical Center where he’s been struggling through the pain of his injuries and losing part of a leg. His wife, family and sister-in-law came in from their hometown of Donora, just south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to be by his side in Boston.

“It was scary. You don’t know too much, you don’t know what’s going to happen next,” said his sister-in-law, Mina Thompson. “He fought and is still fighting to survive.”

“A lot of people love him. A lot of people appreciate him. He could have just been gone,” Thompson said. “Someone knows something. Whether it’s them who did hit him and they’re scared or they’re having second guesses or they told a family member, you know.”

Troopers have evidence in the case. The driver left behind a passenger-side mirror.

“The Massachusetts State Police offers the victim and his family our deepest sympathy in the aftermath of this senseless crash. Although he is expected to live, the impact of his injuries illustrates the danger of failing to drive with care in and around work zones,” police said in a statement.

“It’s never too late to turn around and be like, ‘Hey I messed up and I want to come forward and that’s what we’re hoping for, just so we can get that closure,” said Thompson. “What gets done in darkness will come out to light, so it will come out.”

Anyone with information about the crash is urged to call Massachusetts State Police at 508-543-8550.

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WBZ

By Matt Schooley

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    FALL RIVER, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Police in Fall River, Massachusetts arrested five people after 50-100 people on dirt bikes, ATVs, scooters and motorcycles performed stunts and blocked traffic during a meetup known as a “street takeover.”

Christipher Frias, Dylan Ploude, Aaron Pimental, Yethziel Medina and Jerron Butler are all facing various charges that include negligent operation of a motor vehicle, disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct.

Police said that Sunday between 3:15-6 p.m., packs of off-road vehicles congregated on streets throughout the city “disregarding traffic laws while performing reckless stunts, putting not only their lives at risk, but the lives of innocent, law-abiding drivers and pedestrians at risk.”

In video released by police, drivers could be seen performing stunts in the middle of roads while traffic waited to pass.

Fall River police said that past street takeovers have led to crashes, injuries, property damage, and emergency response delays.

Several units from the Fall River Police Department coordinated efforts to stop the latest street takeover. Police described it as “proactive patrols” throughout the city leading to arrests.

Four motorcycles, one ATV and one scooter used in the takeover were towed away by police.

“These unlawful gatherings pose a significant safety concern to the public. These are not merely bikers peacefully enjoying a law-abiding ride through our city. These are chaotic groups that block streets, operate recklessly and hinder the safe travel of those around them,” Fall River police said. “Many of these riders are uninsured and have little to no experience operating these vehicles, often resulting in crashes, personal injury and property damage.”

A recent street takeover in Boston ended with a police cruiser being set on fire.

In October, Gov. Maura Healey announced plans to combat similar incidents.

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WJZ

By Dennis Valera

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The new design for Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of November. Until then, the final completion date and cost are still up in the air.

However, on Wednesday, a team with the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) assured reporters on a tour of the worksite that everyone involved is working at “breakneck” speed — advancing multiple aspects of the rebuild, on top of finalizing the design — to ensure the fall 2028 goal is met.

MDTA Chief Engineer Jim Harkness said in other cases, some teams could have taken years to get to this point.

Harkness said the design is nearly 70% complete, and it’s expected to be done by the end of the month.

Until then, the completion date and final cost tally cannot be finalized.

“We are still working with our contractor; we’re developing the schedule as well as the estimate on the project,” he said.

The design has the bridge’s roadway about 230 feet above the water. It will have two 12-foot lanes in each direction. There will also be a form of protection for the piers.

“There will be six piers that will have this rigid fender constructed around the base, the foundation of the piers,” Harkness said. “At this time, we do not have dolphins for [protection].”

Crews worked to place large tubes, or piles, carefully into the Patapsco River on Wednesday. It’s all a part of the test pile program to build the necessary support for a strong foundation.

Six piles have been installed so far, driven deep into the river bottom. Once the piles are leveled, the aim is to run load tests on them in a few weeks. These tests will determine if the piles can handle 10 million pounds.

These load tests are done to make sure the piles can handle the weight of the new bridge, as well as ensure the foundation design works in the riverbed.

Brian Wolfe, the MDTA’s director of project development, said the river bottom is the one factor the design can’t account for.

“We know it’s hard. We’ve done testing on it,” Wolfe said. “[The load tests are done] to verify how far down do we need to drive these piles into it in order to get the load we need to carry the bridge. That’ll be [what these tests are] verifying.”

The overall demolition process is halfway done, according to MDTA Deputy Director of project development, Jason Stolicny.

The process started in July, with the removal of deck sections on the north and south portions of the bridge.

Some of the material taken from the bridge will be reutilized in the new bridge.

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KDKA

By Chilekasi Adele

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    WHITEHALL, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — A man from Whitehall is going viral on TikTok for starting a food pantry outside his home.

Some of his videos have been getting thousands of views as he looks to help people struggling, and an anonymous person is aiding him in that quest.

“We didn’t have a plan,” AJ Owen, of Whitehall, said. “We spent roughly $150 at Aldi and stocked up on things in that first day.”

Owen and his kids set up a food pantry on their front lawn nine days ago. Not long after that?

“I would say 70% of that food was gone,” Owen said.

It’s a pattern that is continuing. Owen showed KDKA bins on Tuesday morning that were full on Monday night, until people in need took what they needed to.

It shows the need for food with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the month still not in their possession, but Owen says the demand came long before that.

“When we started this, benefits had not been cut off and people were already in need,” he said. “That says everything you need to know.”

Owen says his pantry has exploded with support.

“People have donated totes, people have donated food, people have donated money,” he said.

People like Jenna Mocello and her daughter saw what Owen was doing.

“We gave teething snacks, yogurt bites, pouches, cereal,” Mocello, of Pleasant Hills, said.

One contribution has stood out, though. It was a cash donation dropped in Owen’s mailbox over the weekend.

“I flipped open my mailbox to see a card envelope taped shut,” he said. “I opened it, and there was just thousands of dollars in cash.”

There was a message inside as well.

“It just said, ‘May God prosper and bless your food bank,'” Owen said.

It elicited a lot of emotions for Owen. He had a hard time believing and realizing what he had received. It also spurred more trips to the store. Owen says he and his kids went to Costco and stocked up on diapers for the pantry. They also bought formula, protein drinks, vegetables, noodles, pasta sauce and more.

It’s inspired people like Mocello to teach her kids the value of giving. She had her young daughter pick out some of what they donated on Tuesday.

“By him doing this, I’m able to show mine how to do that as well,” she said.

As for the Owens? They do not plan on stopping any time soon. AJ said they still have a lot of money left and that they’re going to continue using it for good.

“People deserve food, people deserve to be fed,” Owen said. “As long as there’s a need in our community, we will keep this out.”

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WFOR

By Anna McAllister

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    PINECREST, Florida (WFOR) — A cool, calm and collected 61-year-old Silvia Perez didn’t say much as she was released from jail.

“Nothing to say, sorry… the truth will prevail,” said Perez.

Perez’s demeanor on Tuesday was a stark contrast to how she appeared in the now-viral video of the incident.

According to police, Perez was driving a Bentley on Southwest 57th Avenue in Pinecrest on Oct. 18, near the Wayside Food Market, when she encountered a group of kids riding e-bikes in the street.

Investigators say Perez pulled over and began scolding the kids, telling them to get out of the road.

As the argument escalated, police say Perez snatched one of the kids’ phones.

According to the arrest report, Perez then picked the damaged phone off the ground, held it in the air, and threatened to throw it in a canal before tossing it back on the ground.

Police say the juvenile whose phone was taken had an injury on his hand. The report states Perez then left the scene.

Perez turned herself in early Tuesday morning. During her bond hearing, her attorney argued that the kids were creating a safety hazard.

“She’s observing juveniles on motorbikes, electric bikes, popping wheelies, being disruptive kids on the highway,” her attorney said.

The judge also weighed in.

“There’s more to this story. Have you ever driven down a street with folks doing wheelies and going in and out of cars?” said Judge Mindy Glazer.

When Perez walked out of jail, a reporter asked:

“What message do you have to the parents of those kids?”

She responded: “No, I won’t say anything. I can’t.”

Perez is charged with robbery by snatching and battery by touch or strike. She was released on her own recognizance.

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