Category: CNN Regional

By Conor McGill

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    California (KMAX, KOVR) — A strong, unpleasant odor hanging over parts of western Roseville and Rocklin this week had many residents holding their noses and wondering where the smell was coming from.

At first, many assumed the nearby landfill in Lincoln was to blame. But officials say their investigation found something very different.

“We can back track where that odor came from, given real-time weather conditions, and that’s how we were able to identify the source of this most recent odor event,” said Emily Hoffman with the Western Placer Waste Management Authority.

Using weather models and what’s called a reverse trajectory tool, investigators traced the source to a farm northwest of the landfill that had recently spread roughly 5,000 pounds of chicken manure across its fields.

“That scent, we found, traveled pretty far,” Hoffman added.

Reports of the odor stretched for miles, from western Roseville all the way to Citrus Heights and Antelope.

CBS Sacramento went to the county level to find out if anything can actually be done.

“At the county level, our hands are tied by state and local laws as far as protecting agricultural operations and the odors that come from them,” said Adam Baughman with the district. “However, we can work with the farmers and ag commissioner to notify the public when manure applications will occur.”

While this particular smell didn’t come from the landfill, officials there say they take odor complaints seriously.

Reports of the odor stretched for miles, from western Roseville all the way to Citrus Heights and Antelope.

CBS Sacramento went to the county level to find out if anything can actually be done.

“At the county level, our hands are tied by state and local laws as far as protecting agricultural operations and the odors that come from them,” said Adam Baughman with the district. “However, we can work with the farmers and ag commissioner to notify the public when manure applications will occur.”

While this particular smell didn’t come from the landfill, officials there say they take odor complaints seriously.

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By Tim Spears

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    INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Funeral services will be Sunday for a woman killed outside a Whitestown home, as prosecutors begin their review of the shooting.

Visitation for Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez will be from noon-2 p.m. Sunday at Sprowl Funeral & Cremation Care, 1134 W. 30th St. in Indianapolis, followed by a celebration of life inside Viva Nueva Pentecostés, at 4743 Southeastern Ave. in Indianapolis, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

As News 8 previously reported, the 32-year-old woman was part of a cleaning crew, which arrived Wednesday morning for a job at a home in The Heritage subdivision of Whitestown. Police say it was a mistaken address.

Officers found Velasquez shot on the front porch.

The Whitestown Police Department says investigators have wrapped its investigation and handed the case to the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office to determine potential criminal charges.

Police have withheld the name of the homeowner involved, but said rumors that the person was a current or former police officer are “entirely false.”

“This is a complex, delicate, and evolving case,” Whitestown Police posted on social media. “Given the nature of the ongoing investigation and the concerning spread of misinformation online, we ask the public to exercise patience and allow the investigative process to conclude. The safety and privacy of all individuals involved must remain a priority.”

Velasquez was a wife and mother, according to her obituary, “She was known for her beautiful spirit, her kindness toward others, and the love she poured into her family every single day.”

Velasquez will be buried in Guatemala.

The family is accepting donations for funeral expenses.

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By Dean Fioresi

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    SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Nearly two dozen people heading back from a youth church retreat were injured when a bus overturned in the San Bernardino Mountains on Sunday night.

The crash happened at around 8:50 p.m. on Highway 330 near mile marker 38 between Highland and Running Springs, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The bus was one of several carrying teens, retreat staff, and volunteers from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Santa Ana that had departed from a three-day youth retreat in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Firefighters say that of the 36 people on board, 20 sustained injuries in the crash and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Three of the patients suffered severe injuries, firefighters said.

“The remainder of the passengers suffered minor injuries and were not transported or reported no injury at all,” said a post on X from firefighters.

It’s unclear what led to the crash, but firefighters said that the bus was the only vehicle involved. They’re still working with California Highway Patrol officers to determine the cause.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to the first-responder agencies for their prompt and professional response in safely evacuating passengers and ensuring they received proper medical attention,” The Diocese of Orange said in a statement.

Firefighters said that there was no fire or hazards on the bus, which was transporting both adults and teenagers.

San Bernardino National Forest personnel were assisting with the incident, as well as firefighters from the Big Bear, Arrowbear and Running Springs fire departments.

SR-330 was closed in both directions as the investigation continued. CHP officers urged drivers to use alternate routes like SR-18 to avoid the closure. There was no estimated timetable for when the road would reopen.

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By Chorus Nylander

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KVOA) — Tucson is mourning the devastating loss of three University of Arizona students who were killed in a hit-and-run crash last week. Many students are urging changes at the crosswalk where the crash occurred, seeking increased safety measures.

The victims were identified as 21-year-old Sophia Troetel, 22-year-old Josiah Santos and 21-year-old Katya Castillo Mendoza. Tucson Police have arrested 19-year-old Louis John Artal, charging him with three counts of second-degree murder and one count for leaving the scene. Police reported that Artal was impaired at the time.

A group of students is advocating for significant changes at the crosswalk located at Second Street and Euclid Avenue near University Avenue.

Throughout the day, a memorial at the crosswalk has been growing. Students and the mother of one of the victims are calling on city leaders to enhance safety measures at this crossing.

“He was a beautiful soul and so were all three of these people,” University of Arizona student Elijah Thum said.

Thum expressed his grief over the loss of his friend Josiah Santos along with Sophia Troetel and Katya Castillo Mendoza. All three students were struck by a car at the crosswalk on Thursday night.

“They were innocent lives taken way too soon, from this civil engineering nightmare that we stand in front of,” Thum said.

Tucson Police indicated that Artal turned himself in after fleeing the scene. Thum and others believe the crosswalk is inadequately lit at night.

“We’d just really would like something done about this intersection, it’s not the first time but it’s certainly the worst that we’ve seen in a long time,” said Fallon Oddo, who initiated a Change.org petition demanding a HAWK crossing at the location. The petition has garnered more than 8,500 signatures.

“By implementing another one of the over 130 HAWK crossing stations that are in the city it would make a tremendous difference,” Oddo said.

In a letter to News 4 Tucson, Josiah’s mother, Hope Santos, stated: “This is about a community that has cried out for safety in this area — a community that has lost too much, too often, to preventable tragedy. We call on city leaders to act now, before more families suffer.”

Tucson City Councilmember Karin Uhlich, who represents the area, said, “Of course we should look at that, of course we should. We have to learn anything we can from the tragedy.”

Uhlich acknowledged the high traffic volume near the university and suggested a HAWK crossing might be a viable solution, despite the existing crossings on Euclid Avenue.

“If we can avert tragedies like this we should go above and beyond,” Uhlich said.

The City Department of Transportation reported only a minor bicycle crash at the crossing from 2020 to 2024. However, in response to the tragedy, they plan to add a new signal at the intersection. For Thum, fixing this problem has become his mission.

“This is some fire and fuel I will use for the rest of my life, because Josiah Santos was my friend,” Thum said.

City Councilwoman Uhlich intends to address the safety issue during the City Council meeting on Nov. 18. Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation will expedite planned improvements, including a new signal, expected to be completed by spring 2026.

Here’s the statement from the Department of Transportation and Mobility:

Dear Honorable Mayor Romero and Members of the City Council,

In response to the tragic event that took place on Thursday evening at the intersection of Euclid and 2nd Street, DTM has prepared the statement below in consultation with the City Manager’s Office. This statement will be provided to members of the media who have requested information about the incident.

Statement

The incident that occurred at Euclid Avenue and 2nd Street last week is a heartbreaking tragedy. The City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) grieves with the community over the loss of three lives and extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected.

The safety of the traveling public is always our highest priority. DTM will continue its commitment to making Tucson’s roadways safer for everyone, especially bicyclists and pedestrians, our most vulnerable users of the transportation system.

According to crash data between 2020 and 2024, there was one non-injury bicycle and pedestrian incident reported at the intersection of Euclid and 2nd Street. However, future improvements, to ensure safety of all travelers in the corridor, have been in the planning phase since 2023 for this intersection, including the following:

A new traffic signal with red/yellow/and green indications for north and south traffic on Euclid Connection to a future 2nd Street Bicycle Boulevard Separate bicycle and pedestrian crossing paths for east/west travel Turn restrictions: South to east turns will be permitted for access to parking garage on 2nd Street

This will be a dedicated signal to stop traffic on Euclid for Bikes and Peds that wish to cross 2nd Street Right turn only for east and west travel. North to west turns prohibited (existing condition)

The project plans are complete, and the next step will be securing a contractor for construction. This project is part of a package of six locations where signalized pedestrian crossings will be installed. The package was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The six locations are:

Euclid and 2nd Street Prince and Los Altos Ft. Lowell and Geronimo Grant and Coyote Speedway and 2nd Street Speedway and Belvedere

This package of projects could take up to 12 months to complete construction. DTM is prioritizing the location of Euclid Avenue and 2nd Street in light of the tragic events last week. Construction should begin this calendar year with an expected project completion of Spring 2026. Additionally, interim improvements are planned at Euclid Avenue and 2nd Street that include refreshing all signs and striping, inspecting street lighting for functionality and the consideration of flashing amber beacons. These improvements will be implemented beginning this week.

Please contact Director Credio directly if you have any questions or need more information.

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By Rachel McConaghie

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    COTTAGE GROVE, Oregon (KEZI) — Juanita Avila, a local business owner and mother in Cottage Grove, was one of several people across Lane County detained by ICE on November 5th. Avila, who has been a resident of Cottage Grove for 12 years and owns Juanita’s Latina Store located in downtown, has lived in the United States since she was 14 years old. She believes the incident was an act of racial profiling.

“They are actually racially profiling because we are Hispanic, they are targeting us,” Avila said.

On her drive home Wednesday evening, Avila was speaking to her daughter over the phone when in her rear view mirror she saw lights flash following close behind her.

“I saw the lights, and I thought it was police,” Avila said. “So I drove into a small road in there and so I just opened my window … and then all of a sudden, I see a guy coming towards me in a green shirt with a mask.”

Avila’s daughter, Emely Agustin, found her mother stopped on Pennoyer Avenue. Agustin captured video which appeared to show ICE agents using force to bring Avila to the ground. Avila recounted the experience, expressing confusion and distress at the situation.

“They took me out of the car, I don’t remember how they threw me to the floor,” Avila said. “I remember being on the floor and me screaming, ‘Why are you doing this?’ I was so scared.”

“They just grabbed me, they only question they said was ‘Where are you from?’ because I didn’t answer, like what, ‘Why is that?'” said Avila. “I was asking them why they pull me over and they say while I was screaming at them ‘Why did you lie to me? You’re not officers, you’re not police,’ because they said they were police, but they just lied and dragged me out for no reason.”

Since the Trump Administration began its immigration crackdown, Avila said she keeps her identification on her all the time. This includes her Green Card and REAL I.D.

“Originally, I had thought it was the police until I got out of the car and I saw their uniforms and the vehicles with no markings on them,” Agustin said about the detainment. “In that moment, I knew it was ICE, so I was screaming, ‘She has her Green Card somewhere on her, there’s no reason for this.'”

Once Emely had arrived to the scene, the ICE agents had seized Avila’s wallet using her REAL I.D. card to verify her citizenship status.

“They came up to me and they were like, ‘Oh, we need you to go through her wallet and find her Green Card because we’re not allowed to search through your wallet,'” Agustin said. “And I was like in my head, I was like, ‘Well you already did, that doesn’t make any sense?'”

Avila said she was detained by Ice agents for under an hour in handcuffs before being released.

“I was assaulted, and these random people just come and do this,” Avila said. “I’m terrified, the whole neighborhood is terrified. People with citizenship, legal to be here, they don’t want to go out of their houses because they’re scared that if this happened to me because they know me … everybody knows me. They say if this happened to her, what’s going to happen to us?”

Community members are rallying around Avila showing support as they condemn what they say was an unjust detainment. Throughout my interview with Avila and Agustin, Cottage Grove residents came into Juanita’s Latina Store to buy items and bring cards with supportive comments.

KEZI 9 reached out to ICE for information on who was all arrested on November 5th across Lane County and what, if any, charges they could be facing.

On November 9th, public affairs officer for ICE, Chrissy Cuttita said in a statement:

“ICE conducts targeted enforcement actions in accordance with the law, focusing on individuals who violate immigration laws. Claims suggesting that ICE indiscriminately targets random individuals are false and contribute to unwarranted fear within the community.

ICE conducts targeted enforcement actions that are based on intelligence driven leads focused on aliens identified for arrest and removal from the United States. During lawful immigration enforcement activities in Lane County, Oregon on Nov. 5, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations teams arrested nine illegal aliens in Cottage Grove and one illegal alien in Eugene. None of them were lawfully in the United States and even have criminal background. One had an order of removal and another had a previous voluntary return they did not honor.

All aliens who remain in the U.S. without a lawful immigration status may be subject to arrest and removal. For such aliens, the safest and most efficient option is self-deportation. Tools such as the CBP Home app are available to support the self-deportation process.”

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By Taylor Epps

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    ORCHARD PARK, New York (WKBW) — The Rubik’s Cube first came on the scene in the 1970s, when Frank Zieminski was in his 40s. Now in his 90s, he’s still solving the puzzle.

“It’s relaxing,” said Zieminski. “I didn’t use the cube for many years, then I decided to do it again.”

When he heard the Orchard Park Library hosted the Buffalo Speed Cube Club on Tuesday nights, he decided to stop by.

“I thought he was a grandparent or a parent of one of the cubers. Like he brought a cuber, but he was a cuber himself, and I think that’s really cool,” said Owen Lowicki, the Cube Master of the club.

The members of the club range from 8 to about 16, so when Frank showed up, the group was in awe.

“That’s amazing,” said Carter Szkatulski, of North Collins. “Because we have videos that he can watch, he taught himself.”

Frank still has his cheat sheet that he made with the algorithms from the 1970s.

“The kids have a new method now, so I wanted to find out what they’re doing,” said Zieminski. “I don’t think I could do it in 2 minutes, but I think I could do it in 5!”

And if he does it in under 5 minutes at a competition in January, he will be a world record holder.

“That would be cool,” said Zieminski.

His close-knit cubing community has full confidence that he can get it done and make his mark on the cubing world, one turn at a time.

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By Israel La Rue

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    MCKENZIE BRIDGE, Oregon (KEZI) — On Sunday morning Lane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of two men shooting at each other in McKenzie Bridge, saying the shootout started from a domestic dispute.

“It was rapid gun fire like pop pop pop, really fast and that was about 8 or 9 shots,” Local resident Abigail Elliot said.

Darren Matthew Wernecki lives at the property where the shooting happened, and said he saw the whole thing and why it happened.

“Argument first, then the gunshots went off,” Wernecki said. “And that’s when I knew the gun was firing then, because I heard it big time. From up there, and I had my door shut and everything. I could hear right through the windows, but then bullets were flying.”

Nearby neighbors said they heard those gun shots ring out and immediately took cover as those shots continued.

“My dog got on the ground instinctively and he went down low to the ground and I just jumped on top of him and covered him,” Elliot said. “Because it sounded so close, I was afraid of a bullet coming through the motor home, that was my fear at the moment.”

Wernecki said he also helped tend to the wounds of the two men.

“I went out there and covered him up, put a blanket over,” Wernecki said. “He had the hole going through him, and I stuck my hand on it and tried to push down a little bit. He covered the bleeding up, and he quit bleeding. And I had to go back up and check on the other guy, because he got shot. He got nailed in the shoulder. He must have turned around or something, somebody nailed him. But anyway, he got nailed there. So then I had to go over there and help him out.”

Both men were airlifted to a local hospital from Tokatee Golf Club, which was a six minute drive from where the shooting happened.

“I was just concerned that someone might get hurt and next thing I know there’s two choppers flying away,” Elliot said.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office said both men are suffering from life threatening gunshot wounds. Their condition as of Sunday night is not known and it is not clear who the two men are and how they know each other.

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By Ken Molestina, Lexi Salazar, Katie Standing

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    Texas (KTVT) — On a Sunday in early November, Brazilian-born Pastor Albert Oliveira led his final in-person service at the First Baptist Church in the small Texas town of Gordon. A week later, Oliveira, his wife and three-year-old son boarded a flight to Brazil.

Oliveira is one of many foreign-born religious leaders across the United States forced to make the difficult decision to self-deport.

“It feels like defeat, honestly,” Oliveira told CBS Texas Sunday morning as he arrived at DFW Airport for his flight. “We’ve been fighting over this course for two years, and now we’re going home.”

Oliveira and his family have spent the past two years trying to figure out a legal way to stay in the country, but despite their efforts and the money they have spent on legal fees, the family has run out of time. His departure is not only difficult for his family, but it’s also a blow to his congregation.

“It don’t seem fair,” said Wayne Wroblski, a parishioner and worship leader at the church. “He’s dotted all the Is, crossed all the Ts, made all the filings on time since he has been here.”

An emotional final service More than 200 worshippers packed the pews at the First Baptist Church in Gordon for Oliveira’s emotional final service. There were few dry eyes as Oliveira thanked church members for allowing him into their lives.

Originally from Brazil, Oliveira first came to the United States on a student visa in 2011. He built his life here — marrying German national Caroline Schuster Oliveira and moving to Gordon seven years ago, initially to serve as a youth minister. Three years ago, he became the church’s lead pastor. Since then, he and his parishioners say they’ve seen the congregation flourish.

“It’s a lot of emotions. A lot of different feelings, honestly,” Oliveira told CBS News Texas during an interview after the service. “I feel loved, but I also feel disappointed at the people in power.”

Oliveira finds himself in a predicament that many foreign-born clergy find themselves in.

For the past five years, Oliveira and his family have been in this country on an R-1 visa, a temporary visa issued to religious workers. He is currently applying for an EB-4 visa, which is a pathway for immigrants seeking a green card.

Immigration attorney Lance Curtright, who is not involved in Oliveira’s case, said this has been standard for immigrant religious workers seeking permanent status in the U.S. for years.

Biden administration changed the way EB-4 visas are distributed Two years ago, the Biden administration changed the way EB-4 visas are distributed — making it so that some migrants, including unaccompanied minors from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, were placed in the same queue as religious workers from other countries.

“It resulted in a backlog of visas, not enough visas for really anyone,” Curtright said. “I can just tell you that I’ve seen a lot of individuals suffering on account of it, a lot of people are scrambling trying to find ministers for their church services.”

Increased migration at the southern border has led to an increase in EB-4 visa applications, worsening the backlog. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data analyzed by the CBS News Data Team, in March of 2022, there were 71,147 petitions for EB-4 visas. In March of this year, there were 214,771 — a 200% increase in three years. About 10,000 total EB-4 visas are granted each year.

Realizing his family would not receive an EB-4 visa before his R-1 visa expires, Oliveira made the choice to voluntarily leave the country with his family to avoid undocumented status.

“What we feel is that we were scammed,” Oliveira said. “Out of our money, out of our time, out of our plans. The church was scammed out of their time, their plans.”

After Oliveira’s final service, parishioners surprised him with a lunch, where they took turns thanking him.

“He’s been our friend, he’s been our pastor,” he’s been all we could ever ask for,” said Rebecca Sue Collins, a member of the church. “We’re going to miss him.”

“I’m just really overwhelmed by the love that this church and community has shown for us,” said Caroline Schuster Oliveira. “Just to see and trust God’s goodness that he has for our lives, even in the midst of times like this when we face uncertainty.”

Leaving with hopes to return The Oliveira family has now left the country for Brazil. They hope to apply for another R-1 visa in a year, when Oliveira is eligible again. And the goal is to return to Gordon. In the meantime, he plans to continue to preach remotely.

“I didn’t want to believe that we would have to leave, but now it’s happening,” Oliveira said at the airport Sunday morning. “We believe that, even in spite of all these things happening to our church, we’re going to continue unified.”

In April, U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine, Susan Collins and Jim Risch introduced the Religious Workforce Protection Act as a potential solution. The bipartisan legislation would allow religious workers with pending EB-4 applications the ability to stay in the U.S. while awaiting permanent residency.

For now, that bill remains pending in committee.

CBS News Texas reached out to U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, the Republican congressman who represents Gordon, Texas. He sent a statement saying:

“Our office is aware of Rev. Albert Fernandes-Oliveira’s R-1 visa expiration and his efforts to adjust his status to an EB-4 visa. Our office began work on his case in April 2024 and has since requested an expedited review from the State Department. However, due to high demand and limited visa availability, the request was declined. Recent policy changes expanding EB-4 eligibility and subsequent legal corrections have further delayed processing. Unfortunately, we do not anticipate changes before his current visa expires, and any adjustment of status would fall under USCIS authority.”

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