Category: CNN Regional

By Sean McDowell

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    MESA, Arizona (KNXV) — When 11-year-old Mark Lathouwers walked into Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies on Tuesday, he had no idea what was waiting for him.

The sixth grader was among thousands of students who completed the American Heart Association’s Kids Heart Challenge, including a CPR training course called “Finn’s Mission,” lessons in lifesaving techniques completed at home with his parents.

His name was randomly drawn from every student who finished the program, and when he was called to the stage during a school assembly, the Arizona Cardinals cheerleaders and mascot Big Red were there to greet him. Inside the wrappers he was handed: two tickets to Super Bowl 61.

The surprise sent the whole student body cheering. Mark, a Cardinals fan who also roots for the Packers, says he hopes the Cardinals make it to the game. His dad, Rich Lathouwers, says the moment felt like something out of a childhood dream.

“It’s more of things you think of when you’re a kid, like when I was his age,” Rich said. “I thought, I’m probably not going to go to one of these unless something like this happens,” Mark said. He plans to take his dad to the game, and the family is working on finding a third ticket for Mom. Super Bowl 61 is scheduled for Feb.14 at SoFi Stadium in California.

Beyond the excitement, the American Heart Association says the Kids Heart Challenge is designed to hook young people on heart-healthy habits early. Sandra Foisy with the Association says getting kids trained in CPR is a priority.

“Young people need to learn hands-only CPR,” Foisy said. “Sometimes, our young students know what to do in case of an emergency even while adults are feeling a little stressed. They can jump right to action.”

Mark himself has already taken that message to heart. “I tell others you should mainly do the training because you could literally save someone’s life, and keep them alive until 9-1-1 arrives,” 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.

By Ashley Zavala

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to limit how much private utility companies pay for causing devastating wildfires is fueling debate between wildfire victims and firefighters as California’s legislative session approaches its final days.

The proposal, which critics have called a “bailout” for PG&E, SDG&E, and Southern California Edison, has yet to be put in writing. Newsom’s administration argues that the current wildfire liability system is flawed, warning of potential utility bankruptcies and the depletion of the state’s wildfire liability fund.

Los Angeles-area wildfire victims traveled to Sacramento to voice their opposition to the plan. The group peacefully demonstrated outside of the governor’s mansion as Newsom hosted a reception for state lawmakers Monday night. They also hosted a press conference on the situation Tuesday morning.

The group expressed concerns about Newsom’s proposal to limit how much utilities pay victims, attorneys, and insurance companies if they cause a fire in the future.

“Governor Newsom’s team keeps telling us, ‘everybody stand down, this doesn’t impact you!'” said Joy Chen, leader of the group Every Wildfire Survivor Network, in an interview with KCRA 3. “Today we are the victims, tomorrow, any Californian could be of a system that continues to enable three companies to keep burning down communities.”

Newsom’s administration has defended the proposal, saying the current system slows down payments to victims due to disputes between utilities, insurance companies, trial attorneys, and hedge funds.

“Here’s my response to those who don’t want change: it’s untenable. Status quo is not going to work. It’s not going to work for victims,” Newsom said at an unrelated press conference in the Bay Area last week.

The California Professional Firefighters union announced its support for the plan this week, citing changes made by the governor to address how the proposal could impact local governments. The initial version of the governor’s proposal would have severely limited how much local governments get to rebuild when their property is destroyed. Those changes to the proposal have not yet been made public.

In a letter to Newsom, the union wrote, “The stability of the state’s utilities, insurance plans, and recovery funds must all be balanced with ensuring that wildfire victims and impacted communities are able to recover and rebuild.”

The firefighters’ union did not respond to requests for an interview before the publication deadline. None of the investor-owned utility companies have commented on the proposal.

Former Democratic Assemblyman Chris Holden, who helped create California’s current wildfire liability system in 2019 after PG&E caused the Camp Fire, expressed concerns about the timing of the proposed changes.

“We really shouldn’t be here,” Holden told KCRA 3 in an interview.

“What is untenable is that the utilities continue to find themselves starting fires and burning down communities, they need to be held accountable for them,” he said.

When asked if the system needs change, Holden added, “I think there’s always [a] need to look at it and make it stronger. To do it at the 11th hour at the end of session is not the time.”

Sources close to the situation Tuesday afternoon said Democrats in the California Senate have introduced a counterproposal. Unlike Newsom’s plan, the Senate’s proposal would allow insurance companies to continue suing investor-owned utility companies to recoup their losses.

Other elements of the Senate’s plan include limiting utility companies’ return on investment for wildfire maintenance and pushing the California Public Utilities Commission to cap future utility rate increases at the rate of inflation.

California’s legislative session ends Aug. 31st. Because state law requires a 72-hour public review period for proposed state laws, lawmakers and the governor have until Friday to put a negotiated plan into legislation.

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 Travers Mackel

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    PECAN ISLAND, Louisiana (WDSU) — Louisiana officials announced a major SpaceX project Tuesday morning.

According to a news release issued by Louisiana Economic Development, the aerospace company plans to build a launch site near Vermilion Bay, southeast of Lafayette.

Gov. Jeff Landry and state leaders gathered in Abbeville to unveil the long-rumored project, which has been in development for months.

Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, was not in attendance.

In total, the project is expected to bring a $100 billion investment to the state of Louisiana.

According to a news release issued by SpaceX, the company is expected to create 3,000 direct new jobs over the next 10 years, paying an average annual salary of $92,600, 192% above the Vermilion Parish average wage. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will generate more than 8,100 indirect new jobs for more than 11,100 new job opportunities in Acadiana.

SpaceX is also donating $25 million to the Community Foundation of Acadiana.

According to SpaceX, the company will source Louisiana for in-state vendors and contracts tied to the site.

According to SpaceX, the company develops reusable launch systems, satellite communications and human spaceflight technologies designed to expand access to space.

The company is developing Starship, its next-generation fully reusable launch system. Over the coming years, SpaceX aims to make Starship operational at scale, transforming how humanity accesses space and supporting national priorities like building a base on the Moon and the eventual human exploration and settlement of Mars, according to a statement issued by the company.

The company says Vermilion Parish will become the company’s fourth and largest launch site, playing a key role in ramping up Starship missions.

At full buildout, the site is expected to include five launch complexes, each with two launch pads and a propellant farm. The development will also include a propellant production facility, power generation, vehicle processing and residential housing for employees and their families, according to SpaceX.

According to SpaceX, the company has joined Source Louisiana, the state’s online database connecting Louisiana businesses with contract and vendor opportunities tied to major development projects. Louisiana businesses are encouraged to register, verify and update their profiles to help ensure they are considered for future contracting opportunities with SpaceX and other projects across the state.

SpaceX also plans to host town halls and other community engagement events throughout the surrounding area, giving residents opportunities to meet with the company, learn more about the project, ask questions and provide feedback. Details will be shared as they become available.

Construction is expected to begin in 2027 with the first launch targeted for as soon as 2029.

Concerns have been raised about the potential impact on resources in the rural area near the Gulf.

“I do have deep concerns about what this means, because that area of the state that this is going in, it’s one of our rural co-ops. Entergy does not have service down in Pecan Island, so it concerns me that one of our co-ops who don’t own their own power. What does it mean for them?” said Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis.

SpaceX, founded by Musk in 2002, operates a corporate office and launch site in Texas. Much of the Louisiana deal remains under a nondisclosure agreement, a common practice in economic development negotiations under Landry’s administration.

SpaceX says it has already engaged the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and other appropriate state agencies to proactively address potential impacts to wildlife, fisheries and their supporting habitats.

The company plans to partner with local conservation organizations and experts to identify opportunities to protect and enhance natural resources surrounding the site while working to avoid, minimize and mitigate potential impacts to Louisiana’s wildlife and habitats.

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 Suzanne Behnke

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A new state law addressing student disruptions in the classroom takes effect for the upcoming school year.

Senate File 2428 was passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor this year.

This gives educators rights in the workplace and protects students’ learning, said Joshua Brown, president of the Iowa State Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union.

“One of the things that we feel is really important is that educators deserve to have a safe and healthy work environment. And so this was one step towards addressing that,” Brown said.

Several districts voiced concern in July about the lack of guidance from the state education agency.

The Iowa Department of Education offered a 14-page FAQ to district leaders on Aug. 18.

“There’s also a little bit of concern about just how it’s going to be implemented,” Brown said.

It details the processes for removing students from the classroom when violent or nonviolent incidents happen.

“We’re all working together to try to make sure that we implement this in the best way we possibly can to uplift and protect the rights of our educators, but also protect and uplift the rights of our students,” he said.

That meant addressing students with individual education plans, or IEPs.

There are two main parts to the law: dealing with nonviolent and violent disruptions.

In a nonviolent disruption: the teacher can remove the student into the principal’s oversight for a minimum of 30 minutes. For grades 6-12, students would not return until the next day. If there is a repeated incident, a team of educators, the teacher, a parent or guardian, a guidance counselor and the student meet. “It gives an opportunity to restore the relationship between the educator and the student,” Brown says.

In a violent disruption: a student leaves the classroom into the care of a principal or another designated staff member. Next, the teacher, principal and student meet. The student does not return to the classroom if the teacher has been assaulted or doesn’t agree with the return.

Violent disruptions include injury, property damage or assault such as physical contact, displaying or pointing a weapon, or even pointing a laser at someone with the intent to injure.

State education department data for the last 20 years shows that expulsions and/or suspensions for violent acts by students have gone up.

In 2006, all suspensions or expulsions for fights totaled 6,147.

In 2024-25, the fighting data shows more than 6,255 without injury, 1,115 for fights with injury and 31 with a serious injury.

The categories changed over the 20 years, so they aren’t comparable.

Removals for disruptions also grew in the last decade. That’s how many years that has been tracked.

It goes from more than 3,600 statewide 20 years ago to more than 5,500 in the 2024-25 school year.

School boards are beginning to adopt policies to incorporate the new law at the district level.

KCCI Investigates reached out to the Iowa Department of Education to learn more.

The education department did not have time for an interview Monday.

KCCI Investigates will reach out again.

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By Jodi Long

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    BATAVIA, Iowa (KCCI) — Nine-year-old Khloe Keeling, a member of Girl Scout Troop 563, received the Bronze Cross for helping save her family during a devastating house fire six months ago.

The Bronze Cross, introduced in 1913, is one of the Girl Scouts’ highest honors. It recognizes scouts whose actions are essential in saving or attempting to save a life. Organizers said Khloe is only the 25th person to receive the rare national award.

“These awards and honors, honor girl scouts all across the country whose actions are essential in saving or attempting to save human lives,” says Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa CEO, Beth Shelton. “They recognize girls who remain calm in extraordinary circumstances

The fire broke out in the middle of the night at Khloe’s home in Batavia. As smoke spread through the house, she woke her sleeping parents and helped bring the family’s six pets to safety.

“At first, it was like — weirdly, I was weirdly calm,” Khloe said.

Her mother, Niki Whitney, said Khloe quickly began giving instructions.

“She was like, ‘Grab Bandit. Do this. Do that,’” Whitney said. “I can’t even tell you what all she said because we just did it. We filed out, and as we were filing out, then the alarms started going off.”

The family lost everything in the fire. They are living in an RV in their driveway while their home is rebuilt.

Khloe said she knew what to do because of a fire-safety lesson taught during a troop visit by Saylor Fire Department firefighter John Kerr.

“To actually remember something that was taught, it blows me away,” Kerr said. “It shows that educating your children about these types of situations is very important.”

Khloe’s original Girl Scout sash burned in the fire, so the Bronze Cross was pinned to a new one during a ceremony attended by her troop and family.

“I’m always so proud of her,” Whitney said. “She’s always been an amazing kid, but she saved us. We’re here because she’s amazing.”

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By Tia Maggio

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    SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — Two Flock cameras installed by the Sweetwater Station HOA on Savannah’s south side were cut down last week, prompting a police investigation and raising questions about the extent of HOA surveillance powers.

The cameras, designed to monitor vehicles entering and exiting the neighborhood, were not owned by local law enforcement or businesses but by the HOA itself.

Savannah attorney Michael Schiavone said the legality of such installations depends on the HOA’s governing covenants.

“It depends on what the covenants say that were created for the HOA. If there’s a provision in their covenants that everyone has to abide by, that could include placing those in the development itself,” Schiavone said.

A review of Sweetwater Station’s governing documents revealed that while they do not specifically mention Flock cameras or license plate readers, they grant the HOA broad authority to manage common areas, purchase equipment, and hire vendors. The documents do not require homeowner approval for every security-related purchase.

One homeowner said he was unaware of the cameras until he drove past them.

“I think the HOA could have been a little bit more public. But again, I’m not actively checking the mailbox. That could have come in through an HOA newsletter that I didn’t see,” homeowner Nick Johnston said.

The HOA did post a notice about the cameras on its website, but it is unclear when the notice was posted.

Schiavone added, “The covenant controls normally. So if the terms in there give the board of directors the discretion to make those decisions, then you really don’t have a cause of action.”

Another issue raised is who can access the data collected by the cameras. Savannah police and the HOA confirmed that police cannot directly access the data. The HOA would need to provide it, and the HOA stated it may share information with police if a crime occurs in the area.

The HOA president expressed gratitude for the police department’s efforts in the investigation.

“I have gratitude for the police department for the manpower they’ve put into this investigation,” the HOA president said.

The HOA added that if the cameras prove beneficial to the community, the board may consider expanding their use throughout the neighborhood in the future.

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 Mike Moses

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    HAMPTON, New Hampshire (WMUR) — New Hampshire lawmakers have overridden Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s veto of a major transportation bill that includes higher toll rates beginning next year.

The legislation is part of the state’s 10-year transportation plan and includes additional funding for turnpike projects.

Sen. Mark McConkey, vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said the state has been dealing with flat toll revenue while the cost of transportation projects continues to rise.

McConkey said additional toll revenue will help keep projects and other transportation improvements moving forward.

Supporters also argue the higher tolls will shift more of the cost to drivers from out of state who use New Hampshire’s highways.

“People overwhelmingly said if we could have someone else pay for those improvements, being Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts traveling through our state, and cap our fees in our state, what a great benefit that would be for us all,” McConkey said.

Ayotte vetoed the bill last month, saying she did not support raising tolls and would continue focusing on making New Hampshire more affordable and a destination for tourists.

“Make no mistake of it, this is a tax increase on Granite Staters. If you pay cash, you will pay double. If you didn’t get a new transponder when you moved here, you will pay double. I’ll always use my veto pen when it means stopping tax hikes. Politicians will always want to spend more of your money, but when they double costs, it makes life less affordable and crushes working families,” Ayotte said.

McConkey said he understands the governor’s concerns but does not expect the increase to significantly affect tourism.

At the Hampton toll plaza, the standard passenger-vehicle rate will increase from $2 to $4 beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

A New Hampshire Department of Transportation spokesperson said vehicles listed on a funded New Hampshire E-ZPass account will receive the NH E-ZPass toll rate, which is the same as today’s discounted rate.

Vehicles not listed on a funded New Hampshire E-ZPass account, as well as drivers who pay cash, will be charged the new higher toll rate, according to the spokesperson.

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 Denzen Cortez

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    CALAVERAS COUNTY, California (KCRA) — A chaotic ride home aboard a Calaveras Unified school bus ended with a law enforcement response Monday, as video captured students and a parent climbing through bus windows. Parents are now offering differing views over how the situation was handled.

The incident unfolded along Highway 49 near Russell Road.

“Everybody was screaming and stuff because they were excited to get off the bus,” said a 12-year-old student who was on board.

The student told KCRA 3 the bus had stopped when another student climbed out through a window.

“That’s when the bus driver was like, ‘Sit down, roll up the windows,'” the student said.

The student said the driver told students they would have to wait for law enforcement before getting off the bus. Parents who spoke with KCRA 3 said students remained on the stopped bus for about an hour with windows rolled up, as more parents began arriving.

Nichole Wellington said her son called her from the bus and was scared. She drove to the scene and asked the driver to release him.

“I went right to the door, and I was like, ‘Dude, open the door. Let me have my kid.’ And he’s like, ‘I’m not doing that,'” Wellington said.

Wellington said she eventually gave her son permission to climb out through a window while she waited outside.

“If he would have handled that situation and gave the parents their kids that were there. I think it probably would have went a little bit differently than it did,” Wellington said.

Another parent, Rebecca Glover, whose two children were also aboard the bus, said she made a different decision after arriving at the scene.

Glover said she told her children to remain seated and wait. She said she believes the driver was trying to keep students safe.

“There was not just one child they had to think of,” Glover said. “They had to think of every single child on that bus at that time.”

Video provided to KCRA 3 by a student aboard the bus shows some of the chaotic moments as the situation unfolded. The video shows a student climbing out through a window and, later, a parent climbing into the bus through a window and confronting the driver.

The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a disturbance involving a parent and the bus driver.

“During the incident, the parent struck the bus door, breaking the glass. The parent was ultimately taken into custody at the School District’s request for vandalism,” the sheriff’s office said.

The agency said some passengers were also reported to have exited through open windows, adding that students should only use a bus window as an exit during an emergency.

“School bus safety rules exist to protect students and should be followed by both students and parents,” the sheriff’s office said. “When concerns arise, allowing school staff and bus drivers to address them safely and appropriately can help prevent situations from escalating.”

The Calaveras Unified School District said the incident began with concerns over student behavior but declined to provide additional details.

“Yesterday, student behavior concerns on a district bus escalated and ultimately required law enforcement involvement,” Superintendent Kassie Meeks said in a statement. “As a result of the incident, one bus route has been impacted today, Tuesday, August 25, 2026.”

Meeks said the district would not provide additional details because the matter involves students and law enforcement.

The incident has also raised questions among parents about how similar situations should be handled in the future.

Wellington said she believes having another adult aboard could help drivers manage student behavior while focusing on the road.

“I do feel that maybe that bus driver, especially when he’s driving, should not have to deal with all those kids by himself,” Wellington said.

Glover said she believes more responsibility should fall on students and their families.

“Parents are now sending their children to school to be parented instead of parenting their children at home, and that is a concern,” Glover 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.