Category: CNN Regional

By Shanice Hopkins

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — A family escaped to safety after a fire broke out early Thursday morning at a home in northwest Oklahoma City.

The fire happened at a home in a neighborhood near Wilshire Boulevard and Council Road as storms moved through the Oklahoma City metro.

A fire captain at the scene told KOCO 5 that working smoke alarms alerted the family of the fire. They safely got out and flagged down someone driving by to call 911.

“The occupants were initially notified by a smoke detector, were able to get out of the structure before we got on scene,” Capt. Cody Summers said. “Just brings to mind, check your smoke detectors. Make sure everything’s working properly.”

The fire was contained mainly to the garage. Oklahoma City Fire Department officials said firefighters rescued two cats.

A news release states that the fire appears to have started in the garage, and minor smoke damage was reported throughout the home.

Someone living at the home told firefighters that she had been “burning sage to cleanse the house” before the fire started.

No injuries were reported. Oklahoma City Fire Department officials said the fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage.

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 Olivia Tyler

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    CLIVE, Iowa (KCCI) — A vending machine at a Waukee elementary school is serving books instead of snacks, thanks to the Waukee Community Schools Foundation.

Students at Shuler and Waukee Elementary can now take books home for free via the library’s new book vending machine.

“It’s more motivation for kids to read and just creating those lifelong readers,” said Shuler Elementary librarian Nikki Kennedy.

Fifth graders at Shuler got to go first. Kennedy gave them tokens, which she keeps, and they got to choose what books they wanted to read first.

Kennedy said the foundation is now thinking about giving grants to each elementary school in the district so they, too, can have machines.

“I was excited because I don’t have much books at home,” said one student.

“The goal is every year to have every kid on their birthday or their half birthday be able to come down and choose a book as a gift,” Kennedy said.

The vending machine has a few books for each age range in the school, K-5. During the pilot year, it will focus on fifth graders. Next year, they plan to have it ready to serve every kid in the school, with the hope of filling it with as many different books as they can.

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 Allie Triepke

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    NAMPA, Idaho (KIVI) — “It shouldn’t be a crime to use the restroom.”

This concern from a Nampa resident, who identifies as a transgender woman, is now a reality after Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 752 into law.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of backlash, said she is a born-and-raised Idahoan who transitioned to become female-presenting about 10 years ago. She said she has not had issues using women’s restrooms since she transitioned.

“[To] risk going to jail for using a restroom— that’s like a law of the past,” she said.

The new law requires people in Idaho to use public bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their biological sex rather than their gender identity.

It makes it a misdemeanor offense to knowingly enter a bathroom designated for the opposite biological sex. A second offense could result in a felony charge punishable by up to five years in prison.

Supporters of the bill say it is intended to protect privacy, safety, and dignity in sex-separated spaces.

“House Bill 752 provides a clear proactive tool to secure sex-separated private spaces in our state, while accommodating common sense realities,” said Ben Toews, the bill’s sponsor.

Opponents, including transgender advocates, say the law creates confusion and raises concerns about how it will be enforced.

The Nampa resident said she now worries the law could force her to use men’s restrooms, potentially putting her in unsafe situations. She described a recent incident at a restaurant where she and another woman attempted to use a stall in a men’s restroom because of a long line for the women’s restroom.

“Security came in and grabbed us both by the arm, and was like, ‘You guys cannot be in here.’ Totally understandable, we shouldn’t be in there. [But] it’s kind of ironic because that’s where lawmakers want me,” she said.

She said the situation escalated after others in the restroom realized she was transgender.

“Two different men tried getting me to go into a stall with them and ‘have fun,’ and I’m just like, no,” she said.

The woman said she plans to follow the law but remains concerned about safety. “If it occurs where I have to keep using the men’s restroom, who knows how far things can go,” she said.

Local law enforcement agencies would investigate alleged violations, but would not actively patrol for them.

The law includes exemptions for individuals in “dire need” of a restroom, as well as for custodial staff and law enforcement.

The ACLU of Idaho has criticized the legislation, saying it “puts all Idahoans in danger” and raises constitutional concerns.

The law is set to take effect on July 1.

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 Madison Thomas

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    MARANA, Arizona (KGUN) — Seventh and eighth graders in the National Junior Honor Society and Student Council at Legacy Traditional School – Northwest Tucson spent almost an entire school year working to support Honor Flight Southern Arizona.

Through various events, including dances and a carnival, the students raised the funds to give Korean War veteran John Carlstrom an experience he will remember forever.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our student body, our Student Council and our NJHS, and I know we’re all just so thrilled and excited for him, that he gets to go and do this part of his life that he’s going to remember,” NJHS President, Gigi Hand said.

Carlstrom, who turns 97 next month, will soon fly to the nation’s capital to tour the memorials dedicated to military service.

“I had thought about this honor flight for many years,” Carlstrom said.

The Honor Flight is scheduled to depart on June 1 and return to Tucson on June 3.

“I’m impressed with their activity and the planning and actual work that they did to make this happen for me. This is really quite an honor, and I’ll remember it always,” Carlstrom said.

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

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By KCCI staff

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Students at Horizon Science Academy in Des Moines are coding drones to simulate NASA’s Artemis II mission.

The students have coded drones to rise, orbit and descend, simulating the spacecraft’s path around Earth and the moon. Teachers say the hands-on lesson connects computer science, math, and real-world space exploration.

“I feel like the moon race is starting again, and we’re raising, hopefully, the astronauts of the future,” IT coordinator Selim Gedik said. “And it gives me a lot of joy to see they are able to imagine being an astronaut or a space woman, spaceman, and that dangerous mission for the whole humanity.”

The learning won’t stop in the classroom. This weekend, some students will visit the Drake Municipality Observatory to learn more about moon cycles and use telescopes.

Artemis II launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:35 p.m. CT on Wednesday.

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 Peyton Headlee

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — A Sacramento family is asking for help after they say someone took their dog while it was outside of their house.

Surveillance video shows the 7-month-old French bulldog, Kilo, outside its North Sacramento home on Frienza Avenue around 3 p.m. Saturday when a black SUV pulls up. The dog runs to the car, and the person on the passenger side scoops him up before they drive away.

“I can’t sleep without him,” Jannelle Jay, Kilo’s owner, said.

She said he had just been let out to go to the bathroom. They thought he ran off when he didn’t come back.

“I’m thinking like, oh my God, he’s running around somewhere. He’s lost. Like he’s a baby. I don’t know where he’s at,” Jay said.

She thinks he was taken because of his breed.

“Because he’s a Frenchie. He’s worth a lot of money,” Jay said.

She has filed a police report and posted his photos to social media groups, hoping they’ll be able to find him.

“Just bring my dog back. I miss him a lot,” Jay said.

She is now offering a $500 reward.

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 Jason McNabb

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Aden Heyman, a former Albuquerque firefighter who was acquitted of rape charges last year, is suing yet again for his job back and damages, claiming wrongful termination and defamation.

Heyman was one of three Albuquerque firefighters accused of raping a woman nearly three years ago, and one of two to actually go on trial. He has been adamant that he was treated unfairly by Albuquerque Fire Rescue before his trial and wants damages, as well as his job back.

Heyman was eventually fired by Albuquerque Fire Rescue after an internal investigation and was also sued by the victim. Court records show that lawsuit is still ongoing. However, Heyman, along with fellow accused firefighter Anthony Martin, were both acquitted on the rape charges two years later.

Heyman’s attorney, Jason Bowles, said at the time, “Their careers have been ruined. Their lives have been ruined for two years, and their families have been affected. So, now, thank God they’re free, but now they have to rebuild it all back.”

Last year, Heyman sued the city of Albuquerque and Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo, claiming defamation, wrongful termination, and violation of due process rights. That suit was dismissed by a district court judge just last month.

Now, another suit has been filed, this time in federal court. It makes similar claims to the previous one, alleging Heyman’s termination from the department was wrongful since it happened before a trial or any admission of guilt. Chief Jaramillo is once again accused of defamation, claiming she branded Heyman as a criminal through public statements before the case went to trial. The suit is asking for back pay, damages for alleged civil rights violations, and even reinstatement at Albuquerque Fire Rescue.

A spokesman for Albuquerque Fire Rescue said, “An internal investigation determined the employee violated AFR policies. The city will respond to his allegations in court.”

Bowles declined to speak with KOAT about the lawsuit Wednesday.

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 Olivia Hickey

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    STILLWATER, Oklahoma (KOCO) — When astronauts lift off toward the moon Wednesday, they will be using critical parts built in Oklahoma.

Dozens of critical pieces of technology that will help in the launch of Artemis II are made by Frontier Electronic Systems in Stillwater.

“This has been years of development, building products in anticipation of this. There are not a lot of people in the U.S. or the world who can say, ‘Yeah, we touched these parts going to space.’ That’s cool!” Darryl Smith, program manager at Frontier Electronic Systems, said.

More than 20 pieces of equipment that Artemis II will use are made in Stillwater, including the rotational hand controller astronauts will use in their capsule.

“If they move forward, it’ll pitch forward or pitch back sideways,” Smith said.

Inside a former Payne County hotel, it’s all hands on deck at Frontier Electronic Systems, where they are putting together critical aerospace technology equipment.

“There’s a slot that goes into this. So, many inspections,” Michelle Aiken, senior quality and compliance representative at Frontier Electronic Systems, said.

Aiken said that these panels took years to build and emphasized the importance of precision.

“If you want to do something challenging and do something that means a lot, this is the place to be,” she said.

Frontier Electronic Systems has been part of several launches, including Artemis I, which paved the way for this moon mission.

Aiken said that this will be the first launch she had a hand in.

After tuning in to the takeoff, the team at Frontier Electronic Systems will move on to their next mission.

“We here at Frontier are continuing to build additional products for additional launches,” Smith said.

The launch is set for 5:34 p.m. CT on April 1.

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 Ricardo Tovar

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    BIG SUR, California (KSBW) — As drivers feel the pain at the gas pump, some are getting sticker shock when they pull in for gas in the coastal hamlet of Gorda-by-the-Sea on the Big Sur coast.

“That’s insane. I just saw it right now, and I couldn’t believe it. It’s not something I’m used to,” said Gustavo Fraga, traveling north from Los Angeles.

“I’m a tourist, but for me, that’s too high — too expensive,” said Diego Monge, visiting from El Salvador.

What is too expensive? How about $10 for premium, $9.70 for plus, and $9.40 for regular, the cheapest option.

“Over there in L.A., we’re at about, like, $6 max, which is something that, you know, hits everyone like crazy. But here it’s $10. I’ve never seen that, ever,” said Fraga.

And most people never will — unless they’re traveling along the scenic Big Sur coast, where there are few gas stations in between. Gorda Gas is often mentioned as having the highest gas prices not just in the state, but in the country.

We asked the station owner what he tells customers when they ask why his prices are so high.

“Well, I always tell them the high prices are because we run the place on generators. We don’t have power — we create our own power here,” said gas station owner Leo Flores.

The price of diesel Flores needs to power his generators is also on the rise. But another reason, Flores says, is that his gas is hauled in from Fresno, more than 100 miles away.

At more than $9 a gallon, not everyone is filling up the tank. Customers are usually pumping less than three gallons — just enough to get to a cheaper station.

“They probably could charge $20 a gallon, and if you have to get gas, you have to get gas,” said Debbie Carignan, traveling from Southern California.

Don’t expect to see $20-a-gallon gas in Gorda. That’s because the owner is limited by the number of digits on his gas pumps, so for now, $9.99 is the max.

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.