Author: CNN

KPIX

By Ryan Yamamoto

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    OAKLAND, California (KPIX) — Since 2007, Oakland resident Frances Moore, better known as Aunti Frances, has devoted her life to a simple motto of taking care of her community.

“We don’t just feed the homeless, we feed the hungry,” Frances said proudly.

Four days a week, she turns Jasper P. Driver Plaza in North Oakland into a food pantry and kitchen, becoming a place where people can receive fresh produce and groceries, and a hot meal on Tuesday afternoons.

“17 years ago, this place was a hot mess here, and then I realized food is something we all need,” said Frances. “I learned how to use food as a tool to organize the community.”

The Self Help Hunger Program is rooted in the legacy of the Black Panther Party, which helped shape and raise her when she was a young cub.

“I joined because I was a young girl in a foster home, and I had no place to go,” she said.

Today, she feeds more than 2,500 people a month, while finding inspiration in the Black Panthers’ food giveaways and free breakfast programs of the past.

“So, providing those needs of our people, instead of waiting for something to drop out of the sky, we do it,” said Frances. “And so, when you say all power to the people, this is evident that there is power in people.”

Cali Joy Sanchez, a community organizer and board member of the Self Help Hunger Program, says Aunti Frances’s work is vital to the neighborhood and keeping the spirit of the party alive.

“I call myself a revolutionary, and that is what Aunti Frances is, a revolutionary,” said Sanchez. “She is a powerful movement. She is fierce. She is a hurricane. If you see her, she doesn’t stop.”

A woman who is always on the move, providing more than just food, but also health and wellness resources, from massage therapy and medical services meant to heal the body and the soul.

“It’s like medicine, because at the end of the day I could say, ‘What did you do today?'” said Frances. “I could say, ‘We fed the people,’ and that’s my medicine.”

A remedy she hopes will one day provide a permanent cure for her community.

The Self Help Hunger Program relies on community donations.

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WCBS

By Jennifer McLogan

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — Mourners on Long Island wore pink to honor 18-year-old Emily Finn, who was allegedly shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend in what police called a botched murder-suicide attempt.

Finn’s devastated parents, brother and grandparents joined the Sayville community at her funeral on Monday amid their heartbreak and tears after the gifted ballerina’s death right before Thanksgiving.

Finn came home to West Sayville from college the day before Thanksgiving and went to her ex’s home in Nesconset to say goodbye and retrieve some of her belongings, according to Suffolk County Police.

After she arrived, the 17-year-old boy shot Finn to death before shooting himself in the face, Suffolk County Police said. His parents then called 911 and he was rushed to the hospital, according to police.

The boy, who has since turned 18, was in critical but stable condition at Stony Brook University Hospital, police said.

He was charged with second-degree murder, but police said his name was not released due to his age at the time of the shooting.

Finn posted pictures of her and the boy together on Instagram months before their breakup.

“I can’t believe this happened to her. She didn’t deserve that. I’m going to miss her so much,” friend Maia Toth said.

Loved ones tied pink ribbons around the trees in their town and wore pink, her favorite color, during the funeral.

“A great young lady. Had the whole world ahead of her and, she’s very loved and she’ll be very missed,” cousin Francis Finn said.

Emily Finn spent years dancing at the American Ballet Studio in Bayport.

Her teacher, Kathy Kairns-Scholz, said she was filled with talent and compassion. The studio will dedicate their “Nutcracker” performances to Finn.

The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation will also sponsor an annual scholarship in Finn’s name. The youth gun violence initiative will also plant a tree in an upstate national forest in her name, memorializing young people whose lives were lost to gun violence.

In October, Suffolk reported domestic violence calls jumped 43% and formed a coalition to help spot red flags and bring resolution.

“Tremendous sadness. Domestic violence is something that we worry about all the time, and the numbers are much too high,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said.

“We work very closely with our community-based organization to ensure that we can provide counseling and crisis intervention immediately,” Dr. Sylvia Diaz, deputy county executive for health, human services and education.

Finn attended SUNY Oneonta and dreamed of becoming a teacher.

She was a graduate of Sayville High School.

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WBZ

By Louisa Moller

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    MILFORD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Police arrested a man who they say who used a “Ghostface” mask and BB gun to rob a convenience store in Milford, Massachusetts.

Just after 7 p.m. on Sunday, police received a 911 call from an employee at Riverside Gas reporting that a man in a mask stole multiple cigarette packs and attempted to steal cash from the store’s register.

Investigators found the suspect’s Ghostface mask and BB gun in the area of the crime scene. “Ghostface” is a character in the “Scream” horror film series.

Police Chief Robert Tusino told WBZ-TV that officers were able to track down the suspect because his description was known from an earlier crime.

“Interestingly enough, he had been previously arrested for shoplifting at that same establishment. It was actually the clerk manager that recognized his shoes,” Tusino said.

Police arrested Adam Busuito, who also had an outstanding warrant for armed robbery out of Boston Municipal Court.

The frustrated police chief said Busuito is well-known to his detectives.

“Twice he promised to appear, didn’t. They still released him,” Tusino said. “We need to get off this merry-go-round.”

During his arrest, Busuito allegedly struck an officer. Tusino questions why nothing more was done by the court system in his Boston case.

“I don’t know how he was released once again,” Tusino said. “How are we serving this individual as a community? Could we have offered him services in between the time that he was arraigned the first time. It appears that nobody did anything.”

The court system declined to comment on this story.

Busuito was arraigned in Milford District Court on charges of armed robbery, armed assault to rob, and assault with a dangerous weapon, among others. He was ordered held without bail pending his next court hearing on Friday.

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WJZ

By Mike Hellgren

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The union representing a Baltimore City Department of Transportation employee who died after being assaulted on the job said they should have been alerted immediately after he was attacked.

They are calling for better protection for city employees.

“As president of a union, to get the call after the fact is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable,” City Union of Baltimore president Antoinette Ryan-Johnson told WJZ. “I was extremely disheartened, and I was disheartened because I was notified on the day of his death. I didn’t even know that the incident had happened.”

Ryan-Johnson said she never learned about the October 17 attack on 71-year-old Gregory Turnipseed until after he died, the day before Thanksgiving.

“It is extremely shocking. It’s shocking, disheartening, upsetting,” Ryan-Johnson said. “At the end of the day, he was my member. He belonged to this union. But he was somebody’s personal family member. They now don’t have a father to come home. He should have been able to come home at the end of the day and spend Thanksgiving with them, but that will no longer happen.

Ryan-Johnson continued, “So, yes, I’m angry. I’m very angry. We should have been notified.”

According to charging documents, Turnipseed was on the job for the Baltimore Department of Transportation when he stopped to help in a dispute over a parking space on St. Paul Street.

Police said a 15-year-old girl got out of an SUV and punched him in the face while her mother, 49-year-old Kiannah Bonaparte, jumped on his back and then kicked him repeatedly in the head.

Turnipseed died more than a month later after bleeding in the brain.

His daughter, Gerri Turnipseed, told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren her father suffered slurred speech, issues with walking, and memory loss after the assault.

You can read more of the exclusive interview with her here.

“I know sometimes people have road rage, or people have tempers, or they don’t have patience,” Gerri Turnipseed said. “We don’t think these things will happen. We think it’s OK to maybe have a back and forth with someone, and you just never know what they’re going through, their intentions, if they’re a good person.”

Authorities have not commented on any possible punishment for the juvenile.

Bonaparte is charged with assault, which police say is being amended after Turnipseed’s death.

The state’s attorney’s office told WJZ on Monday, “The investigation is still underway before additional charges can be brought forward.”

The union is calling on the city to conduct an independent, transparent investigation into what happened and work with the union to develop better safety protocols.

“My traffic enforcement officers in the Department of Transportation have been assaulted, have had liquids thrown on them, gun drawn on them, things of that magnitude,” Ryan-Johnson told WJZ. “This is absolutely unacceptable at this point. Absolutely unacceptable. And if somebody downtown does not understand that something that has to be done, we can’t keep losing employees and members like this. It’s tragic.”

She is hopeful city leaders will listen to her plea for worker safety.

“The city has to ensure, as the employer, that their workers are safe when they come to work,” Ryan-Johnson said.

Turnipseed worked for Baltimore for 14 years.

The mayor called him an exemplary public servant.

Ryan-Johnson offered her condolences to Turnipseed’s loved ones.

“We are committed to standing with his family,” she said. “We extend our sincerest condolences, and please know we are grieving with you, and we feel your pain. We are saddened and disheartened that your father, your family member, is no longer here with you.”

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WFOR

By Peter D’Oench

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    Florida (WFOR) — New bodycam video released by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office shows some tense and frightening moments as a deputy and a suspect in a minivan were involved in a gun battle in Southwest Miami-Dade, resulting in the suspect’s death.

MDSO wants to be transparent with the community

Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said, “We recognize incidents of this nature raise questions and concerns with our community, and I believe the public has the right to see critical incidents involving law enforcement.”

She also said, “My commitment is clear: to be transparent with our community, to hold ourselves to the highest standards, and to continue to work every day and to earn and maintain your trust.”

Shots ring out in bodycam video MDSO said the incident started on Sept. 16, when there was a 911 call about a man pointing a firearm at people around SW 216th Street and 122nd Avenue.

That suspect was later identified as 44-year-old Jose Pineda Jr.

A 911 caller said, “There’s a guy in a Honda, He’s pulling a gun on everybody. Please send police. Hurry up now.”

MDSO said when Sgt. Gilberto Crespo arrived at the scene, Pineda was sitting inside a minivan. Crespo then reportedly ordered Pineda to show his hands; however, Pineda shouted back, “I got no hands.”

Then, gunfire erupted.

MDSO said Pineda fired rounds at Deputy Crespo, and some bullets struck his patrol car. The deputy was forced to hide behind a pickup truck to take cover.

In the bodycam video, Crespo can be heard shouting, “Shots fired. Shots fired. He’s armed. He’s in the car. He’s in the car.”

At some point, Pineda left his vehicle while still holding his firearm. A 2nd deputy arrived and found Pineda on the ground. Then, that deputy can be heard saying, “Where is he? Subject down. Subject down.”

Pineda received medical aid and was taken to the hospital, but didn’t survive his injuries, MDSO said.

Officers tasked with making split-second decisions, says PBA president CBS News Miami showed the bodycam video to Steadman Stahl, the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association.

Stahl said, “That’s absolutely incredible. These officers have to make split-second decisions. That video is just a tip of what these officers have to do in those life and death situations. You see it in seconds, not minutes, not hours. They pull up to a scene and get out of their car, and have to discharge their firearm. That was a gun battle.”

He continued, “I am glad the department is putting out that video. You can see the subject is armed. I believe other people saw him pointing his gun at people. That was not the first time the gentleman had done that.”

How many police officers have been shot nationwide As the video is released, the Fraternal Order of Police released new figures about the number of police officers shot nationwide so far this year.

The FOP said 314 officers have been shot in the line of duty, and 43 of them were killed.

CBS News Miami tried to speak with Pineda’s family; however, they haven’t been found. The deputy-involved shooting is under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

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KDKA

By Mike Darnay

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — It was a potentially historic afternoon for Pittsburgh cookie table lovers as members of a Facebook community gathered to try and break the world record for the largest Christmas cookie exchange.

The “Wedding Cookie Table Community” group on Facebook made their best effort at breaking the world record as many of the community’s members gathered at the Kringle Kitchen at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Sunday.

33 teams of 10 people from within a 75-mile radius of the fairgrounds worked to make and exchange the sweet treats along with teams from across the country and even New Zealand taking part in the Christmas cookie spirit.

Event organizers say at least 80,000 cookies were at Sunday’s exchange.

Each team had their own theme along with all of their tasty creations on display.

“We hope to establish a world record,” said Laura Magone, the founder of the Wedding Cookie Table Community group.” Right now, there is not one, but I think we’ll establish one today. We’re doing everything we can with the paperwork and trying to do it right.”

It’s unclear right now exactly when information will be released if the world record was reached.

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WFOR

By Steven Yablonski

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — A drone used by the Miami Police Department was able to help officers track and eventually arrest a man connected to a domestic dispute last month, and the entire incident was caught on camera.

Police said they were dispatched to reports of a domestic-related dispute involving a boyfriend, who was later identified as 24-year-old LeCurry Anthony Williams Jr., who allegedly shoved his girlfriend and vandalized a window.

At that time, the Miami Police Department Drone First Responder unit deployed a drone to the area, which arrived at the scene before patrol units due to its aerial response capabilities, according to police.

Due to that, police said the drone was able to quickly spot Williams trying to leave the scene. The drone was also able to maintain visual contact with him and was able to relay real-time updates to officers responding to the scene.

In addition, police said Willimas tried to change clothes to avoid being recognized and arrested.

However, due to the live video feed from overhead, officers were able to remain informed of his appearance and where he was headed during the incident.

“This enhanced situational awareness allowed officers to approach and apprehend the suspect safely and without further incident, contributing to an effective resolution of the call,” the City of Miami Police Department said in a statement.

Police said the department continues to leverage innovative tools like the Drone First Responder program to enhance officer safety, improve response times, and better serve the community.

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KOVR

By Conor McGill

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    ROSEVILLE, California (KOVR) — On a day that highlights the deep Native American roots woven into the foundation of the United States, one Roseville man is working tirelessly to keep his culture alive.

Michael Ramirez, a member of the Konkow Maidu Tribe and a Native historian, begins each encounter with a greeting in his Native language, an act he considers essential to preserving a culture that has survived against the odds.

“How are you? My name is Michael Ramirez… my feet are here in Roseville, California,” he says, speaking in Konkow.

For Ramirez, those words are more than a tradition. They’re a promise to honor the generations before him.

Ramirez says the mission is urgent. His band, the Strawberry Band of Konkow Maidus, is down to around 70 people. Each one plays a role in ensuring their language, stories, and land stewardship practices don’t disappear.

His cultural connection runs deep. Ramirez is the great-grandson of Bertha Nye Norton, considered one of Sacramento’s founding Native mothers. He says carrying her legacy fuels his commitment.

“She saw nothing but hope in all her grandkids and I’ve got to make that mean something,” he said.

As part of that effort, Ramirez now serves as a tour guide, helping visitors understand the major moments his ancestors endured and the resilience it took to survive them.

“To be a living survivor, a living piece of history that was literally meant to be wiped out is astounding,” he said.

For Ramirez, preserving culture isn’t just about honoring the past. It’s about protecting the land his people worked, shaped, and depended on.

“This land was the product of hard work. It wasn’t something that magically happened,” he said.

Despite challenges, Ramirez says giving up is not an option. He continues to push for education, visibility, and cultural relevance beyond symbolic gestures.

“I continue to fight for education… I can’t help but be optimistic. I refuse to give up,” he said.

And on this holiday, Ramirez says he’s thankful, expressing his gratitude once more through the language of his ancestors:

“Welcome, family. Have a good day. Be a good day,” he says in Konkow.

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