Category: CNN Regional

By Allie Triepke

Click here for updates on this story

    BOISE, Idaho (KIVI) — The first Indigenous fashion show in Boise is using style and storytelling to spotlight a crisis affecting communities across the country — Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).

The sold-out event, presented by Your Voice Is Heard Foundation, brought together Native communities from across the Pacific Northwest to honor culture and raise awareness.

“So YVH Foundation was originally the YVH Fashion Show. I created it in 2019 after my assault was set to go in front of a grand jury… unfortunately for me, my case was dropped the day before, so I actually used it to create a fashion show for survivors to tell their story,” said Samantha Townsend, founder of YVH Foundation. Townsend is Acoma Pueblo and part of the Parrot tribe.

The foundation has grown into a full nonprofit, now turning its spotlight on MMIP and raising funds for the Indigenous Idaho Alliance. Townsend emphasized the ongoing need for awareness:

“Native people are 10 times more likely to fall victim to violent crimes. So we’re shedding light on that today,” said Townsend.

The event featured all Indigenous creators: models, performers, makeup artists, and designers.

One of the highlighted designers, Boise native Raynie Hunter, has been creating jewelry since 2018 and was showing her work at a live fashion event for the first time.

“I draw a lot of inspiration from color… I can be outside and see a really pretty tree that has a bunch of colors on it, and like I need to go home and make something in that color palette,” Hunter said.

Hunter, who is Shoshone Paiute, incorporates modern and contemporary design into her native bead, crystal, and shell jewelry. She owns Beadiful Vibes jewelry.

“I want women to feel like they can wear an everyday outfit like this but still rock a statement piece,” she said.

Organizers hope the show sparks more conversations and creates greater visibility for Indigenous communities whose stories are too often overlooked.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Luz Pena

Click here for updates on this story

    LOS GATOS, California (KGO) — A car plowed into a coffee shop in Los Gatos on the night of Thanksgiving. The driver was a 90-year-old man.

It happened around 9 p.m. on November 27 when the vehicle was captured speeding down University Avenue in Los Gatos. Seconds later, it crashed into Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company.

“Just devastated with the destruction, but incredibly grateful that no one was injured aside from the driver of the vehicle,” said Teri Hope, Founder and Co-owner of Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company.

The vehicle ended up in the middle of the coffee shop. Hope got the call on Thanksgiving night and ran to find her business destroyed.

“Fixtures and furniture in half the building have been demolished. The coffee roaster itself is still intact and wasn’t affected. That is the heart of our business,” said Hope.

According to Los Gatos Police Department, the driver was taken to the hospital, and is in serious, but stable condition.

In a statement, the police department said in part:

“It is suspected alcohol may have played a role in this incident, but all factors are being looked at as part of the ongoing investigation.”

One of the businesses in the area installed surveillance cameras for safety, but never thought their footage would end up capturing footage that police will later use.

“We implement something, you know, fortunately, it paid off as far as assisting the police department, you know, the town and coming up to a conclusion and possibly coming up with some other better safety measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” said Geoff Beale, CEO of Surveillance Solutions.

Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company is a community gathering space that has been in the neighborhood for over four decades. People who frequent the business were shocked and thinking about the what ifs.

“So many times, we’ve sat in that room that’s been devastated and it’s just to think that you could be sitting there drinking coffee, eating pastry, watching a musicians and that could just suddenly happen,” said Sheila Lebedenko, a resident in the area.

“Tragedy for us and it’s a sad day for Los Gatos too. This is one of the most favorite places we got to,” said Dima Lebedenko, a resident in the area.

Hope said normally her coffee shop would be busy with people inside and pedestrians on Main Street. On Thursday night, the shop was closed due to the holiday. And more than ever, the word “gratefulness” has deeper meaning.

“We are just very grateful that no one was injured,” said Hope.

Now they are focused on picking up the pieces to reopen.

“I believe we are going to be back on our feet shortly,” said Hope.

Here is the full statement from Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department:

“This past evening, as Thanksgiving was coming to a close, Officers responded to report of a vehicle that had collided with the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company around 9pm. The Santa Clara County Fire Department responded and extricated the male driver, a 90-year-old Los Gatos resident from the vehicle. It is suspected alcohol may have played a role in this incident but all factors are being looked at as part of the ongoing investigation. The business was closed and unoccupied at the time of this incident and the driver was the sole occupant in his vehicle. He was transported to the hospital in serious but stable condition. Anyone who may have witness this incident is urged to contact the LGMSPD at 408-354-8600.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Dean Fioresi

Click here for updates on this story

    SIMI VALLEY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Police say that a married couple in their 60s was shot and killed inside their Simi Valley home on Sunday afternoon and that they’re now looking at their stepson as a possible suspect.

Officers were dispatched to the Wood Ranch neighborhood just after 12 p.m. upon learning of shots fired at a home in the 500 block of Hawks Bill Place, according to a news release from the Simi Valley Police Department.

When officers arrived at the home, they found two people suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were taken to the hospital in critical condition, according to police. They were both pronounced dead at around 7 p.m.

Adventist Health Simi Valley later identified the victims as Dr. Eric Cordes and his wife, Vicki. Cordes was a “highly respected” radiologist for more than 30 years, the healthcare non-profit said.

Investigators told CBS Los Angeles that they did not believe the incident was random and that it did not appear to be a domestic incident. Callers told SVPD officers that the suspect walked up the driveway of the home and into the garage before opening fire.

Police later said that they were looking into a potential connection with a car fire and death by suicide that happened more than 70 miles away at Ayala Park in Chino.

Chino Police Department officers told CBS Los Angeles that they responded to a death by suicide at the park, located at 14225 Central Avenue, after learning that a car had been set on fire next to a deceased person. They say that they’ve been communicating with SVPD and are looking into possibilities that the incidents are connected.

SkyCal flew over the spot of the shooting, where a large amount of blood could be seen inside the garage of a home at the end of a cul-de-sac. There was a large presence of law enforcement officers as the investigation was underway. It also flew over the investigation in Ayala Park, where a burnt-out sedan was seen surrounded by investigators before it was towed from the area.

People were asked to stay away from both areas as the investigations continued, but SVPD and CPD officers said that they did not believe there were any further threats to the public.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Dean Fioresi

Click here for updates on this story

    California (KCAL, KCBS) — An Altadena homeowner says that he’s been living with an unwanted guest for the better part of a week, after a large bear took up residence in the crawlspace underneath his home.

The massive bear has been caught on camera several times as it comes and goes from the small hole underneath Ken Johnson’s house, starting on Monday last week. Other videos show the bear walking around the property, as well as the first time the animal gained entry to the crawlspace, easily ripping away a small screen before squeezing inside.

“I noticed that the camera showed the bear coming out in the middle of the night,” Johnson said. “But the batteries died, so it never showed where it went. So, I didn’t know if it went to the backyard, the front yard, or it was still under there.”

He says that when he went to the side yard to replace the batteries on the camera, the bear growled at him from the crawlspace.

“I was just terrified, shaking,” he said. “That’s when I called the sheriff.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials told Johnson to call the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, which he did on Friday. They told him that he would have to wait until Monday for a response from their personnel due to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

KDKA

By Mike Darnay

Click here for updates on this story

    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.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Darnay

Click here for updates on this story

    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.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Daniel Macht, Nijzel Dotson, Anahita Jafary

Click here for updates on this story

    STOCKTON, California (KCRA) — Stockton-area faith leaders and community members held a vigil in Stockton on Sunday, a day after four people died and 11 others were hurt in a shooting.

Faith in the Valley organized the vigil at 9299 Thornton Road. Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi and Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee also spoke at the event.

Saturday’s mass shooting took place during a family gathering at a banquet hall in the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue in Stockton before 6 p.m., according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Lee described the event as a birthday party.

A San Joaquin County sheriff’s spokesperson said Sunday that those who died were ages 8, 9, 14, and 21.

Multiple speakers shared the sentiment that the community needs to come together to prevent violence like this in the city’s future and the families directly impacted will need an abundance of support.

Lee and Fugazi both emphasized that those incited to retaliate after Saturday’s shooting must make the choice to stand down.

“Parents brought their children out and they left with medical examiners, that is not human. To those who are thinking of retaliation, when my brother got murdered I thought about it too,” Lee said. “It’s human to want to hurt people who hurt people you love, but I had a choice to make, and I hope people in our community make the right choice and contact law enforcement, call me, call the mayor.”

Fugazi’s message was more blunt: Put the gun down.

The suspect is still at large and the shooting is still under investigation, the sheriff’s office confirmed. The victims range in age from children to adults.

Officials described the shooting as targeted.

Michelle Rodriguez, Stockton Unified School District Superintendent, said that one of the children killed was a district student and their parent is a teacher.

“I got choked up when I spoke to her today and then I had to pull myself together because I needed to be strong for her,” said Rodriguez, who was among the vigil crowd. “Obviously, children are what we care about and so it’s really hard for us, but we also believe in being strong for those that need it the most.”

Richard Stoeckl, a community organizer with Faith in the Valley, said he hopes the visit is a starting point for people to “wake up” and “get involved” in the community.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

WFOR

By Steven Yablonski

Click here for updates on this story

    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.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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 Steven Yablonski

Click here for updates on this story

    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.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.