Category: CNN Regional

By Audrey Biesk

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WXII) — Lives are forever changed following Hurricane Helene, and the emotional and mental trauma lingers for those still recovering one year later. Those emotions can feel heightened, especially during the tropical season.

The All Souls Counseling Center in Asheville responds to the mental health needs of its community daily, and when Hurricane Helene hit, the center was desperate to reach people in need.

“We started sending therapists to comfort care sites in partnership with FEMA, the Red Cross, Hearts with Hands and other supportive organizations,” said Meredith Switzer, executive director at All Souls Counseling Center. “We were really the mental health presence on site.”

Offering mental health support to people looked a lot of different ways, Switzer explained. “It could be a bottle of water, or a snack while they were waiting in line to speak with a FEMA agent and they had young children with them who needed to be occupied.”

Over the last year, the center has hired more therapists and started new community-based programming. Switzer said her team learned their work is even more powerful when they cast a wider net and meet people where they are. As a leadership team, it has made it a priority not to forget those who lost so much.

“Going into areas that have been hit the hardest, doing community dinners, we are partnering with Duke Energy Foundation to provide meals to areas like Bat Cave and Hot Springs — areas that are more rural that don’t have access to resources like we have here in Buncombe County,” Switzer said.

Adam Lewis, clinical director at All Souls Counseling Center, encourages people to be patient with themselves through mental and emotional recovery. “Some people will look at Oct. 1 and just want to be like, ‘All right, we’re done.’ And I get it, and some people might be there, but when we look at studies of disaster, one year post of a natural disaster is usually when healing starts,” Lewis explained.

The trauma from Helene shifted the way people view their surroundings. Lewis said it’s normal to see post-traumatic stress disorder-like responses in folks due to the severity of the storm. “It is not a guarantee for someone to have PTSD, but it’s not uncommon for most people in the area to have PTSD-like responses because trauma is when we can’t control what’s happening around us, and it really shifts how we view our life and our world and the storm that we had a year ago is one of those examples.”

During the uncertainty of the tropical season, the weather is something Western North Carolina residents may feel uneasy about. “I hear a lot about any sort of sudden rains — and we are used to unpredictable weather in the mountains, but the sudden onset of rain, especially if it wasn’t in the forecast, can cause people to be on edge,” said Lewis.

He explained how humans have a danger detection system that is designed to help keep us safe. “So that’s what that is trying to do when you go through a traumatic situation, that system gets sort of hijacked and just because it’s raining now doesn’t mean it’s the exact same thing that I’ve been through before,” he said. “It sends you into survival mode, which is important when you need to be in survival mode, but not when you need to sit down and parent a child or tend to your household duties or do what you need to do.”

One of his go-to coping exercises for folks to start with is to practice grounding themselves. “Getting your feet sometimes literally in the earth,” said Lewis. “Take your shoes off, stand there and feel the sun on your face, feel the breeze, whatever feels right to try to be here in the present moment versus where your brain may go, which is 12 months ago.”

He also recommends making time to focus on your breathing. “When in doubt, I find it very helpful to focus on your exhale,” said Lewis. “Nothing fancy. There’s a lot of exercises out there, but if nothing else, act like you’re breathing out from a straw with a slow, long exhale. Set a timer for 60 seconds and do that, and see how you feel, and maybe do it again.”

Lewis shared how support from the community can help people cope, or for those who do not want to be around a lot of people, just sit at home and be present in the moment. “I do encourage people around anniversaries of difficulty, of loss, to take the time and honor the loss,” Lewis said. “Give it the space it deserves. It will come out one way or another. We need to have a slow-release valve so we can sit with it better as opposed to it taking over.”

Switzer and Lewis agree that full emotional, mental and financial recovery will take time.

“We are so grateful for the outpouring of support. We certainly felt it, and it helped us heal and move through this experience. We are still recovering, so don’t forget about us,” explained Switzer. “We encourage people to come back and support our economy. We were reminded through this experience that we are very resilient.”

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By Jenyne Donaldson

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — An exceptional young woman who cemented herself in the history books has a bright future ahead.

The saying goes, hard work pays off, and Zaila Avant-garde has taken that to the max.

At 18, Avant-garde is already a national spelling bee winner, a bestselling author of multiple books, and a two-time Guinness World Records winner, among other accomplishments.

At the age of 14 in 2021, Avant-garde became the first African American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

“One of the motivations that I had was sort of knowing the history of African Americans in spelling bees, and I definitely sort of wanted to be the first African American to win,” Avant-garde told 11 News.

With the help of two tutors and a program, she studied 13,000 words for seven hours a day leading up to the competition. Now, her banner hangs in the Hall of Champions.

But she has also stood outside the winner’s circle, looking in.

“It was in 2019 when I went and I got about 439th place or something, but that’s OK. Small steps,” Avant-garde told 11 News.

The loss sparked a fire.

Avant-garde published five books, becoming a New York Times bestselling author. Her first book, “It’s Not Bragging if it’s True,” is described as an empowering collection of true stories. Avant-garde called it “a big sister guide.”

“Building self-confidence and, you know, learning how to embrace yourself and who you are as a person and things like that. Kind of like a guide with, like, lots of anecdotes from my personal experience,” Avant-garde told 11 News.

Now, Avant-garde is starting her first semester on a full scholarship at the University of Maryland, studying cell biology and genetics with plans to become a biomedical researcher — and even the sky’s not the limit as she sets her sights some 239,000 miles away.

“One of my dreams is to work for NASA, specifically for their human research program, kind of like researching ways to make it possible for humans to live in long-term colonies on Mars,” Avant-garde told 11 News.

She admitted it sounds a little far-fetched, but when she points to who and what motivated her, she knows anything is possible.

“(In) 2020, when the Nobel Prize in chemistry, I believe, was awarded to Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, it was about CRISPR,” Avant-garde said.

CRISPR is a method of genome editing that researchers developed to change DNA with extreme precision. Avant-garde said it sparked her passion for science when she learned the research was used to transform the quality of life for a Mississippi woman living with sickle cell anemia.

Meanwhile, she’s exploring new goals.

“Something that I’m kind of interested in is actually getting another Guinness World Record,” Avant-garde told 11 News.

She already has three Guinness World Records for most basketballs dribbled simultaneously, most basketball bounces in 30 seconds and most bounce juggles in one minute.

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By Stephanie Aceves

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    MOHAVE COUNTY, Arizona (KTNV) — The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office was able to link two children who were found in a park restroom in Oxnard, California, to a cold case victim in Mohave County.

On Dec. 12, 1989, a woman was found dead on Old Temple Bar Road off White Hills Road, just 50 miles south of Las Vegas. She had been stabbed multiple times and left nude in the desert.

At the time, police were unable to identify the victim or any suspects involved in her death, but homicide investigators were able to obtain a DNA profile from the victim.

In February 2022, the SIU was able to obtain the victim’s fingerprints and matched them to a Maria Ortiz from Bakersfield, California. A records check revealed Ortiz was listed at a residential address in Bakersfield with two friends.

Authorities made contact with one of the friends, who was later discovered to be the victim’s cousin. The cousin revealed the victim’s real name was Marina Ramos, and she had been missing since 1989. Maria Ortiz was an alias used by Ramos.

Authorities also learned that Ramos had two young daughters, 2-month-old Jasmin and 14-month-old Elizabeth, at the time. After this discovery, the police tried to track the whereabouts of the two young girls. Using the DNA obtained from family members, investigators found a match to a woman and her sister who were found abandoned in a park in Oxnard, California, in December 1989. Through the use of DNA samples, results confirmed the two women to be Elizabeth and Jasmin Ramos, the daughters of Marina Ramos.

Reports revealed that the girls were found in a park restroom in Oxnard on Dec. 14, 1989, just two days after Marina’s body was found in Mohave County.

After the girls were found, they were placed in the custody of child protective services and later placed into foster care. They were eventually adopted by a couple in Ventura County and raised together in a loving home, according to authorities.

While the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office has found the mother of the two girls, authorities are still looking for the suspects responsible for the homicide of Marina Ramos.

Witnesses say they saw a woman and two men with the children at the park. They were seen in a black mini pickup. The witness told officers the woman was carrying the smaller child in a yellow blanket and one of the men was carrying the older child. The woman was described as a Hispanic female wearing a long red skirt with white boots. The two men were only described as Hispanic.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office at 928-753-0753 ext. 4408.

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By Nathan Smallwood

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    MURFREESBORO, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — A family from Cookson, Okla. found a brown diamond weighing nearly three carats during a recent visit to Crater of Diamonds State Park.

According to a press release, Raynae Madison and her family came to Arkansas for the weekend to celebrate her nephew’s birthday. They visited Crater of Diamonds on Saturday, September 13.

The family picked a spot to dig on the north side of the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area, near Prospector Trailhead. After digging a few buckets, they were sifting dirt through their screens when Madison noticed an unusual oblong, shiny stone.

After showing their family, the release says they took the stone to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center. The staff there identified it as a diamond weighing 2.79 carats.

Madison chose to name her gem the William Diamond, in honor of her nephew. It is the third-largest diamond registered at the park this year.

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By Pepper Purpura

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is expanding its reptile response with help from Spock’s Sanctuary, the “largest reptile rescue in the state of Iowa.”

“I’d say about once a month we get a reptile in, whether it’s an owner surrender or a stray,” said Megan Matamoros, ARL’s director of shelter operations.

Matamoros said the shelter trains its animal control team on how to handle all varieties of pets in need. However, it can be difficult for the team to keep those skills sharp since they are rarely called to trap reptiles, and have them at the shelter to practice with even less often.

Once they are in the ARL’s care, the unique needs of each lizard, snake or amphibian are another hurdle.

“You need specialized UV lighting. You also need a warm area and a cool area in their tank. They may need a more tropical, humid environment or a more arid, desert-like environment, and every reptile can be very different in their dietary needs,” Matamoros said. “Some are strictly vegetarians, some can eat some proteins like crickets, and then some require strictly just meat.”

Those variations are a challenge, the founders of Spock’s Sanctuary in Des Moines understand.

“Between lizards, there’s such a variety,” co-founder Cole Reiman said. “Every single animal that comes in is their own challenge.”

Which is why Cole and Cam Reiman are giving the ARL access to their reptiles.

“We bring in and give them just a quick little set of tips and tricks on how to optimize their approach (when handling a reptile),” said Cam Reiman, co-founder of Spock’s Sanctuary. “Especially when they’re called in on an animal wandering around outside, where they don’t really have a lot of information on what they’re walking into.”

Matamoros said the opportunity is helping their team be better prepared when trying to capture and care for reptiles.

“That allows them to give our animal control officers that already have our exotic handling (training) some more different techniques to use, so they can have that in their back pocket to be successful when they’re out there in the field,” Matamoros said.

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By Matthew Dietz

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLWT) — The second inmate who escaped from Brown County, Ohio, and was on the run for a week has been arrested.

According to online court records, Cooper is being housed at the Oldham County Detention Center, in La Grange, where he’s listed as being in federal custody.

It all started Monday, Sept. 15 at the Brown County Jail.

One week ago, deputies said Roy Butler and Jerry Cooper broke through a window at the jail and got over a fence.

Investigators say the two crossed the Ohio River in a stolen paddleboat but split up once they got into Dover, Kentucky, which is between Maysville and Augusta, and where the search has been focused for days.

Deputies found Butler the next day. He was in jail on drug trafficking charges. Cooper, who was on the run, is charged with attempted murder.

On Monday night, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office said Cooper was arrested in Louisville after being taken there by two people.

The sheriff’s office said Marlana and William Strausbaugh were also arrested and charged with hindering prosecution or apprehension.

“We want to thank the FBI, Kentucky State Police, Maysville Police Department, KY Dept of Fish and Wildlife, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Bracken County Sheriff’s Office, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Fleming County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, Augusta Police Department, Brooksville Police Department, USMS, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Maysville Fire Department, Dover Fire Department, and many other agencies for their assistance,” the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators said Cooper allegedly shot a man in the chest earlier this year. He is accused of shooting the man and taking money in a murder-for-hire plot.

On Monday, the FBI offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Cooper’s arrest.

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By Dacoda Wahpekeche

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — Oklahoma City has taken a significant step in commemorating the 1950s protests against segregation with the installation of a new sculpture depicting the historic sit-ins led by Clara Luper.

Clara Luper was a historical figure in Oklahoma, who led protests against segregation at Robinson and Main streets in downtown Oklahoma City during the 1950s.

Marilyn Luper, daughter of Clara Luper and a participant in the sit-ins, expressed her excitement about the sculpture’s completion.

“This is a dream come true,” Marilyn said.

Marilyn, her brother Calvin and others participated in the Katz Drug Store sit-ins, and now Marilyn sees herself depicted in the sculpture, which brings back memories of that time.

“I feel good on the inside,” Marilyn said.

The sculpture, made of 8,000 pounds of bronze, required a crane to be placed in its permanent location.

“It brings back memories. It feels good, because I can see the change in this nation,” Marilyn said. “I just wish that my mother could have lived to see this day because she would have been so happy.”

Clara Luper’s statue is not yet in place, but it is expected to be completed by Nov. 1.

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By Rachel Henderson

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KSHB) — A Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department firefighter who killed three people in a crash nearly four years ago has received approval from an arbitrator to return to driving fire trucks, shocking victims’ families and friends.

Dominic Biscari was driving a KCFD pumper truck when he ran a red light and crashed at an intersection, killing Jennifer San Nicholas, Michael Elwood and pedestrian Tami Knight.

An arbitrator affirmed his ruling earlier this month that Biscari can drive fire trucks again, receive back pay and serve only a three-day suspension.

A spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed on Thursday that Biscari did reapply for a license and is currently licensed as an EMT-Basic with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.

His initial license, which he obtained in February 2020, expired on February 28, 2025.

The spokesperson confirmed Biscari is “still in compliance” with his settlement agreement which had a provision allowing the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to relicense him, and he agreed to continue on with his probation/probation requirements.

“We don’t think Dominic should walk away from this unscathed at all. He killed three people,” said Laura Norris, owner of Ragazza, where San Nicholas and Elwood worked. “It’s shocking, it really is.”

The emotions remain raw for Norris, whose former employees were leaving work when the fire truck hit them.

“You just couldn’t breathe,” Norris said. “You know, and it’s not okay.”

She said she and a group of people fighting for justice — including several Ragazza staff members — have protested at city council meetings before.

Norris recalls a recent one where the council decided against awarding Biscari a hefty settlement.

That decision, coupled with the department’s reinstatement of driver training, felt like small wins to Norris.

“I think anybody objectively looking from the outside in, which conduct resulted in a triple fatality, would question how someone in that position would receive compensation,” said Tim Dollar, the attorney representing the Elwood family. “As anyone might expect to hear, the news was disturbing and difficult.”

“While the family had made tremendous progress, personally, in extending forgiveness to Mr. Biscari on a personal level as part of their own healing, and Mr. Biscari had expressed remorse, which was all positive, that does not mean that the family wanted to return to a safety-sensitive position at the fire department,” Dollar said.

Dollar says the family’s goal has remained to promote safety and prevent future injuries at this intersection.

“It’s why the family paid for the Opticom system themselves, to electronically alert drivers,” Dollar said.

Union defends arbitrator’s decision The attorney representing the KCFD’s union shared a statement defending the arbitrator’s decision on Tuesday:

Local 42 is satisfied that the final arbitration award upholds the same findings and remedies set forth in the earlier interim ruling. The arbitrator concluded, after reviewing all the evidence from both sides, that the City of Kansas City failed to follow basic principles of fairness and due process when disciplining Firefighter Dominic Biscari.

The arbitrator’s findings revealed some procedural missteps in how the City handled the matter from the beginning, particularly its failure to provide the protections guaranteed by the collective bargaining agreement and long-standing City policy.

The arbitrator’s ruling was detailed, well-reasoned, and based on the facts in the record. We hope that if the Court confirms the award, the City will honor it promptly and fully, without the need for more legal proceedings.

Firefighters represented by Local 42 serve Kansas City with dedication and professionalism every day. The Union remains committed to standing up for our members when they are treated unfairly, and to holding all parties accountable to the agreements they’ve made.

Kevin Regan, the attorney representing Biscari, provided his own statement, attributable to Biscari’s union as well:

“Mr. Biscari has prevailed in his second arbitration against the city. He hopes the city fulfills its obligation to the arbitrator and reinstates him immediately.”

Both the city and the arbitrator declined to comment on the ruling.

Court confirmation expected The next step involves a Jackson County Circuit Court judge, who Dollar says has “no discretion” in the matter.

“The circuit judge must simply confirm the contract and confirm the arbitration award,” Dollar said.

Families remain hopeful for justice.

Norris says she’s determined to continue fighting.

“I remember thinking last night when I read this, and I was like, ‘What more do we do?’ But we’ll find out, and we’ll do it,” Norris said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXYZ’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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