Category: CNN Regional

By Luz Pena

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — San Francisco’s artificial intelligence boom is driving increased demand for office space, creating new challenges for some businesses and nonprofits, including a tech training organization that says its proposed rent would increase by more than 100%.

Dev/Mission, a nonprofit in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood, provides free training in IT jobs and coding fundamentals to low-income students ages 16 to 24.

Founder Leo Sosa said the organization has graduated about 500 students since it started nearly 10 years ago, with almost 400 of them finding jobs in the tech industry.

Among those graduates is Josue, who Sosa said lived about a block away from Dev/Mission.

“He recently started working at OpenAI,” Sosa said.

Since 2017, they have also distributed over 5,000 computers to low-income families.

“It’s just very fulfilling knowing that I can give back to my community,” said Isaac Sosa, Dev/Mission’s program coordinator refurbishing center.

Now, Sosa says the nonprofit is facing uncertainty over its own future in the neighborhood.

“About three weeks ago the negotiating for the new lease, they pretty much told us it was going to be 156% increase, about $20,000 a month,” Sosa said.

ABC7 Eyewitness News contacted Sosa’s landlord but did not hear back.

Cushman & Wakefield, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate firms, says office space costs in San Francisco are increasing rapidly.

“There is a flurry of office leasing activity, huge demand for residential pricing increase that we’ve never seen in this much of it increase in a short period of time,” said Kazuko Morgan, executive vice chairman at Cushman & Wakefield.

Asked how much of the activity in the commercial office market is being driven by artificial intelligence, Morgan said, “I mean, a lot. That is the biggest demand in growth. At the moment.”

The growth comes as Dev/Mission itself teaches young people about AI and other technology opportunities.

Sosa said he does not blame the industry for the nonprofit’s predicament and believes its expansion is good for San Francisco, but hopes they can find a place by November.

“We’re resilient, but I don’t want to really say that AI is going to really harm and do things like that. No, it’s great for the city, it’s great for the economy. All these young people are being exposed to that opportunity,” Sosa 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 Carlee Hogsten

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    LEXINGTON, Kentucky (WLEX) — A Lexington couple is questioning the city’s use of Flock cameras after police arrived at their home with guns drawn early Saturday morning while investigating a violent road-rage incident.

Will Penn and Robin Pen say multiple officers surrounded their property at 3:56 a.m. Saturday. Ring doorbell footage shows police vehicles pulling up, and by 4:08 a.m., spotlights were shining on the home as officers surrounded it.

Officers knocked on the door and asked the couple where they had been.

“There was an incident tonight in which the vehicle we are trying to find is nearly identical to yours,” an officer said.

Penn and Pen say they told officers they had just gotten home from a taco truck. Officers told them they were not in trouble, and the couple went back inside. Officers remained outside for several more minutes before leaving.

After reviewing the Ring footage, the couple realized several officers had been armed, with Penn’s 94-year-old grandmother inside the home.

“I never truly believed this would happen to me at all,” Penn said.

“My blood pressure didn’t go down for about an hour until after the incident,” Pen said.

Penn said the armed response in the early morning hours was alarming.

“Given how the situation was with weapons and 4 o’clock in the morning, I mean, it’s shocking. It really is. My grandmother was scared to death,” Penn said.

Lexington Police Commander Daniel Burnett says officers were investigating a felony assault, which required a large police response.

“Every situation is different, and our officers adjust their tactics,” Burnett said.

Lexington police say this was not a case of misidentification, officers were simply following up on a lead that turned out to be wrong.

The victim in the road-rage incident provided a detailed description of a dark-colored Ram 2500, but did not provide a license plate number. Officers entered that information into the Flock system and found a vehicle they believed matched: Penn’s truck.

“The victim gave a detailed accounting of the events which included a description of the suspect and the suspect’s vehicle,” Burnett said.

Officers showed the Flock image of the vehicle to the victim, who confirmed it.

“The officers actually showed an image of that vehicle to the victim. The victim was very confident that that was the same vehicle,” Burnett said.

That Flock image led officers to Penn and Pen’s home. Burnett says automated license plate readers are used to generate investigative leads, not to prove a vehicle is connected to a crime.

“They are simply just an investigative lead and resource like lots of other information that law enforcement has access to,” Burnett said.

Penn and Pen say they are still waiting for answers and believe the technology needs more review before it is used.

“I feel like they’re not doing their investigation work properly like they used to and they’re just jumping the gun on it,” Penn 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 Blaine Stewart

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    GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Virginia (WTKR) — Everyday heroes are everywhere. Sometimes they are your next-door neighbor, and sometimes you have to find them down a gravel road about an hour and a half away. But for the staff, animals, and supporters of Gloucester County Animal Control, the hero they met this week was worth every mile.

Joyce Emerson, known simply as Ms. Joyce to everyone at the shelter, received the surprise of a lifetime on her very first day back volunteering following a recent medical leave.

News 3 arrived at the facility to present Emerson with the latest “Everyday Hero” award, catching the longtime volunteer completely off guard.

“I’m not one for talking, but I’ve had so much support from the community, the volunteers,” Emerson said, tearfully accepting the plaque. “I just never knew how much I was loved.”

For nearly 20 years, Emerson has dedicated her daily life to the shelter’s population, carving out a vital niche by taking in the animals that are most frequently overlooked.

“I try to take in all like the hospice dogs and the senior dogs,” Emerson said. “Because it’s just as rewarding to me as it is to the dogs.”

Her impact on the facility cannot be overstated. According to Jacqueline Wilson, Chief of Gloucester County Animal Control, Emerson’s tireless work with foster programming and adoptions has completely transformed their operations.

“She is actually my best friend,” Wilson said. “She is the heart of the shelter.”

Wilson noted that under Emerson’s care, the facility recently achieved a historic milestone.

“Honestly we just became no kill status, meaning that over 96% of our dogs get out alive because of Joyce, since 2022,” Wilson said. To further honor her dedication, Emerson was also presented with a $425 Visa gift card courtesy of community partners at Southern Bank, which included an extra $125 in celebration of the bank’s 125th anniversary.

“Wow, like I say, I’m not one much for words unless we’re talking about a dog,” Emerson laughed.

The award presentation also marked an emotional milestone for Ashley Hutchinson, the person who originally wrote to the station to nominate Emerson for the honor. Up until the surprise, Hutchinson and Emerson had only ever spoken over the telephone.

Walking into the shelter to see the celebration marked the very first time the two women met face-to-face.

“I knew you did a lot. You knew you did a lot, OK?” Hutchinson told Emerson during the emotional meeting. “So I think we’re all realizing that you do way more than we even knew you were doing.”

With the surprise complete, Emerson is now right back where she belongs—surrounded by a community that refused to let her 20 years of love go unnoticed.

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 Lily O’Shea Becker

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KSHB) — Richmond, Missouri, farmer Reason Swafford took a FaceTime call from his daughter while recovering in his University Health hospital room on Wednesday.

“Looks like you all are doing alright,” he said with a smile to his daughter and new son-in-law as they honeymoon in the Caribbean.

Just 11 days before, Swafford achieved his goal of walking his daughter down the aisle.

“My goal was to walk her down the aisle when the wedding came,” Swafford said.

Swafford made the goal after he got his leg amputated in January.

He was helping his neighbor move a barn when it fell on his left leg in June 2025. He’s suffered multiple infections since.

“I said (to his wife) you can tell the kids, ‘I love them,’ and I love you, and I will see you on the other side one of these days,” Swafford said. “She grabbed my thumbs and very sternly said, ‘You are going to make it. Do you understand me? You’re going to fight.’”

That fateful day, his femur broke and cut his femoral artery. He says he almost bled to death.

“I had a 5% chance of survival,” he said.

Swafford said his faith brought him to University Health.

“It was totally a God thing,” Swafford said. “He placed those gentlemen here.”

Swafford is talking about Dr. Peter Everson and Dr. David Shanberg. The two treated Swafford after he was airlifted to University Health.

Swafford says he formed an instant friendship with Everson.

“This is the guy that didn’t give up on me,” Swafford said.

As Swafford walked his daughter down the aisle, he said it was a full-circle moment in his relationship with Everson.

“I walked with a crutch down the aisle — halfway — and he was positioned there in a certain spot where I stopped and handed off the crutch to him and continued the rest of the way on my own,” Swafford said. “It was very symbolic.”

On Wednesday, Swafford’s team at University Health continued cheering him on so he can achieve his next goal: returning to farming.

“It’s been a long, tough road, but it’s been very rewarding, the relationships we’ve made,” Swafford 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 Sergio Candido

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    MIAMI BEACH, Florida (WFOR) — Rapper Rick Ross was arrested by Miami Beach police early Thursday on domestic violence charges, including felony battery by strangulation, according to Miami-Dade jail and court records.

Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:10 a.m. this Thursday.

The 50-year-old rapper faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery. Both charges are listed as involving domestic violence.

Bond was listed at $5,000 on the battery by strangulation charge and $1,000 on the battery charge, for a total of $6,000. Jail records note that posted bond information may not reflect the current amount.

Ross has retained private attorney Bradley Horenstein, according to court information. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 22.

Details about what led to Ross’ arrest, including when and where the alleged incident occurred and his relationship to the alleged victim, were not immediately available from the jail and court information.

CBS News Miami has requested Ross’ arrest report from the Miami Beach Police Department and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

The arrest comes days after Ross’ former girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, publicly accused him of physically abusing her. According to People.com, Kendrick alleged on social media that Ross injured her lip during an incident she said happened about a month earlier. Ross had not publicly responded to those allegations as of earlier this week.

It was not immediately clear whether those allegations are connected to Thursday’s arrest.

Ross, a Miami-area native known for songs including “Hustlin’,” has been a prominent figure in hip-hop for two decades and is the founder of Maybach Music Group.

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 Matthew Ablon

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    Texas (KTVT) — A San Antonio-area man is accused of planning a violent attack on the Texas State Capitol in Austin, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

The agency said it received credible information on Tuesday that 40-year-old Benny Caldera Jr. was planning the attack for Thursday, Oct. 1. DPS said it worked with the FBI and local partners to arrest Caldera at his home in the town of Converse. The arrest happened at 3 a.m. Wednesday, the agency said. Caldera is now charged with making a terroristic threat against a public servant, which is a felony offense.

Caldera was released from the Bexar County Jail into federal custody on Wednesday, where he will remain, according to Texas DPS.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Texas DPS said its leadership team notified state lawmakers about the threat and arrest earlier in the day on Wednesday, and that the Capitol building remained open for regular operating hours. The agency said it will continue to have an increased posture at the Texas Capitol to protect all employees, visitors and state officials.

Texas DPS asks anyone with information about potentially dangerous attacks to use the iWatchTexas online service or to call 1-844-643-2251.

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 Carlos E. Castañeda

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    SAN FRANCISCO, California (KPIX) — A woman involved in a police chase and standoff with South San Francisco police officers died of her injuries after jumping off a freeway overpass in San Bruno, police said on Wednesday.

The South San Francisco Police Department said in a press release that the incident began on Monday at about 8:30 p.m. when officers located a vehicle associated with a woman involved in a vehicle pursuit with another law enforcement agency earlier that day and who had multiple outstanding arrest warrants. When officers tried to contact her, she brandished a pair of scissors and got into the driver’s seat of the vehicle, police said.

An officer shot her with a stun gun, which police said was ineffective, and the woman fled in the vehicle, followed by officers. The chase went south into San Bruno, where police said the woman rammed a South San Francisco police vehicle multiple times while trying to evade officers, police said. Officers deployed spike strips, and the vehicle eventually became disabled on the Sneath Lane overpass at Interstate Highway 280, police said.

The woman remained barricaded inside the car and did not respond to officers’ command to exit the vehicle, according to police. A crisis negotiation team also responded to the scene and tried to communicate with the woman, but were unsuccessful.

Officers then shot pepper-ball projectiles into the vehicle, and the woman got out and fled toward the guardrail of the overpass, police said, and they shot her with a sponge round to try and stop her but it was not effective. A police K-9 was then deployed in an attempt to apprehend her, police said.

“The woman continued toward the overpass guardrail, and the canine was recalled,” according to the press release. “Moments later, the woman intentionally climbed over the guardrail and landed on the freeway below.”

Police said that officers immediately stopped the approaching traffic and began medical aid until medics arrived. The woman was taken to a trauma center, where she later died from her injuries. Police did not identify her.

No officers were injured. Police said the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the events leading to the pursuit and the woman’s actions during the encounter, remained under investigation.

Anyone with additional information about the incident was encouraged to contact the South San Francisco Police Department at 650-877-8900.

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 Carlos E. Castañeda, Maddie White

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    DUBLIN, California (KPIX) — An elderly California couple accused of shooting and killing their son-in-law were charged with murder on Wednesday.

Shouyong Zhang, 77, and his wife Shili Chen, 77, were arrested on Saturday after witnesses told police they took turns shooting at 40-year-old New York Times executive Jonathan McKinsey in the parking lot of the Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, about 35 miles east of San Francisco.

McKinsey was pronounced dead at the scene, and Chen and Zhang were arrested minutes later near the Dublin police station.

In addition to felony murder, Chen and Zhang were charged with personal use of a firearm causing death, and lying in wait, a special circumstance that carries the possibility of a life sentence without parole. Neither entered a plea on Wednesday; both were being held without bail.

Dublin Police Services said Zhang admitted to shooting McKinsey, and that Chen has refused to talk after their arrest. A second gun was found during the search of the couple’s car, according to police.

The shooting followed years of documented family strife involving McKinsey, his wife – identified as Candice Jang, their three children, and his in-laws. In October 2025 following accusations from Jang, McKinsey was charged with child endangerment involving their 2-year-old, and corporal injury involving their 6-year-old. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Days later, Jang filed for a restraining order against McKinsey to keep him away from both her and the children, which was followed by McKinsey filing his own restraining order against Jang in December 2025. McKinsey also filed for divorce days later.

Court documents indicate that McKinsey alleged his in-laws had long abused him for being a transgender man, and alleged that Jang had physically and emotionally harmed him and their children for years and allowed her parents to do the same. McKinsey also alleged that Zhang had punched him in the chest while he was recovering from a double masectomy, and alleged that Chan struck her grandson after he wanted to wear his sister’s dresses, and called him derogatory names.

Police have not elaborated on the motive for the shooting and have not addressed the previous charges against McKinsey or subsequent court actions.

Legal analyst Steven Clark said the history between the victim and the defendants could become relevant as the case moves forward.

“The defense will do a deep dive on the relationship between their clients and the victim,” Clark said.

Clark said prosecutors do not have to prove a motive to obtain a murder conviction, but the history could still become part of the case.

“While the DA does not need to prove motive in a murder case, certainly the motive here is something that could play out in this trial,” Clark said.

Wednesday’s hearing also revealed that Chen does not yet have an attorney. She was expected back in court Thursday morning.

Zhang waived a formal reading of his rights and charges during Wednesday’s proceeding.

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.