California first responders urge Newsom to sign bill lowering retirement age, boosting pensions

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Darrielle Fair

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — California firefighters, police officers and other public safety employees rallied at the state Capitol this week, urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign legislation that supporters say would allow first responders to retire earlier and improve their retirement benefits.

Assembly Bill 1383 is now on Newsom’s desk after passing through the Legislature. The governor has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto bills that reached his desk during the legislative session.

Anthony Gamble, director of the Sacramento Police Officers Association and a Sacramento police sergeant, joined other public safety groups at the rally.

“Every time an officer puts on a uniform and they go out into the streets to protect the community, there is a likelihood, there’s a chance, whatever that number may be, that they don’t come home,” Gamble said.

Gamble, who has spent 10 years in local law enforcement, said the demands of public safety careers make retirement benefits an important part of recruiting and retaining officers.

“We’re asking our first responders, police and fire, to do a very dangerous job, a high-stress job for a long period of time. We’re talking 25, 30 years,” he said.

The bill would change retirement provisions for certain public safety employees covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

Among its provisions, AB 1383 would lower the age at which certain safety employees could receive a 3% at 55 retirement formula from 57 to 55.

It also increases the cap for how much high-earning employees can receive from their pensions.

“Those two years can be very instrumental,” Gamble said. “Two more years with their family, two more years to be with their kids, two more years to be with their spouses or their brothers or sisters.”

Supporters argue the legislation could also help make public safety careers more attractive to prospective employees at a time when agencies across California are focused on recruitment and retention.

“We want people with good hearts to get into this profession that are doing it for the right reasons, but we have to make it an attractive profession for people to want to get into as well,” Gamble said. “So this is another tool for that.”

AB 1383 has also drawn opposition from local government groups, which argue the changes could significantly increase pension costs for public agencies.

The California State Association of Counties has opposed the measure, citing its potential fiscal impact. Ben Adler, the organization’s director of public affairs, said the increased costs could ultimately affect other public services.

“This bill is just too expensive,” Adler said. “It’s projected to raise costs by up to $7.5 billion a year, perhaps even more if it is signed.”

Adler said those additional costs could put pressure on the budgets of cities, counties, schools and the state, potentially affecting public-sector jobs and services.

The Newsom administration’s Department of Finance has also opposed the legislation because of its projected costs.

Newsom has not indicated whether he plans to sign AB 1383. His office has said the governor generally does not comment on legislation while it is still pending.

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.

Dying sea birds washing ashore in Bay Area due to effects of warming ocean

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By John Ramos

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    FAIRFIELD, California (KPIX) — Visitors to Bay Area beaches are starting to see a disturbing sight: dead and dying seabirds. They’re called murres, and wildlife rescuers are scrambling to try to save them as they fall victim to a rapidly warming ocean.

At the International Bird Rescue hospital in Fairfield, they’ve received more than 100 in just the last few days.

“So, these are chicks from this year,” said Dr. Rebecca Duerr, pulling back the cover of an enclosure. “Right now, they’re sitting with some nice, warm, dry air, because they just went for a swim and they’re working on their waterproofing.”

Most of the murres brought to the center are starving, some at half their normal body weight. When that happens, they lose the ability to regrow feathers, destroying the waterproofing that keeps them warm. Dr. Duerr, Director of Veterinary Science, said that often leads to organ failure and, eventually, death.

“So, some of them are definitely not making it,” she said. “But we do supportive care on the ones that we get, and we have a certain portion of them that will survive.”

The birds, which resemble tiny penguins, are starving because the water has warmed, increasing the metabolism of predator fish, making them hungrier. That puts them in competition with the murres who can dive to depths of 300 feet to hunt. The current pool of warm water along California is reminiscent of what scientists called “The Blob” back in 2014.

“Most heat waves come and go within a few weeks, maybe a few months. This one was different. It hung around for two years,” said US Fish and Wildlife researcher Heather Renner. “And over the course of those two years, it really changed the marine ecosystem in ways that we’re only now beginning to understand.”

An estimated four million birds died in Alaska alone, about half the state’s murre population. It was considered the largest die-off of any warm-blooded creature ever recorded. And because murres only lay one egg a year, the species has been slow to recover. Scientists say the birds found on the beach are only a tiny fraction of the actual death count. But those who can be treated and released actually do quite well.

So, the rescuers consider it a win each time they can release a murre back into the wild.

“These guys really are a window into what’s going on in the ocean. And we try to think of them that way,” said Dr. Duerr. “And, you know, getting those animals out there back to have a second chance in the wild is really what our work is all about.”

Currently, most of the center’s birds have come from the Santa Cruz area, but the problem can be found along the entire West Coast. Dr. Duerr recommends that anyone finding a sick or lethargic bird on the beach, can gently wrap it in a towel or sweatshirt and take it immediately to a local wildlife hospital.

She said it may be its only chance for survival.

The International Bird Rescue says whenever they get a large influx of new patients, their food bill can skyrocket. They’re asking the public for help with this one.

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.

Remembering reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, both killed in NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Julie Sharp, Brittney Ermon, Michele Gile

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    CHATSWORTH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw had worked together for the last three years, and on Tuesday night, the two were on assignment for NBCLA and Telemundo 52 when their news helicopter crashed, and they both died.

They were covering a deadly bus crash in Chatsworth just blocks away, hovering over the scene when something, still unknown, went terribly wrong.

NTSB investigator-in-charge Fabian Salazar called the crash an “accident” in Wednesday’s news conference and would not speculate on what could have caused the helicopter to drop, as an investigation is in preliminary stages.

Marciniw grew up in Southern California and had been a pilot for decades, covering some of LA’s defining moments from the sky—from wildfires to police pursuits.

He was also an instructor, teaching pilots how to fly. At the airport, fellow pilot Esteban Jimenez reflected on their final moments.

“He was always cool. I’ve never met anybody that disliked them. I feel there’s so many things I could have said to him over the weekend when we were talking about flying,” he said.

But Marciniw’s impact reached beyond the cockpit and people who knew him outside of work, they say he will be deeply missed.

“He was always the first to say hi and be kind to my kids and to us,” neighbor Brea Angelo said. “He was always, like, working on his lawn, and he came over for barbecues.”

She said her kids called their neighbor Mr. George, and for her family in Burbank, his friendship was a gift.

At the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Los Angeles, they are remembering a longtime parishioner with a heart of gold.

“Every time you come to church, you just can see that smile was just so bright, you know. Such a kind heart, kind person. It’s a great loss,” Pastor Ihor Koshyk said of Marciniw.

Moreno, 38, was born in Orange County, graduated from Chapman University in 2010, and realized her dream of working in news.

She joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010 and reported for several Southern California media outlets. The NewsChopper4 helicopter is owned and operated by Angel City Air.

Moreno went by “eli in the heli” on Instagram, where she called herself a dog and chicken mom, a Chapman University alum, and engaged.

Even in elementary school, Moreno knew she would be a reporter, and for the last 16 years, the helicopter reporter and photographer brought some of the most important television news stories to Southern California.

In a Chapman University video, Moreno credits the college and Professor Pete Weitzner for her success.

“From freshman year to senior year, just everything that I am doing now, somehow he has his hand in that,” Moreno said in the video.

Weitzner said Moreno’s goal was to work in her hometown television market, and she reported from the helicopters at CBSLA and, most recently, Telemundo 52 and NBCLA.

“Eliana was fearless and loved that she was not only reporting, but she was the camera person and editor. The more the better,” Weitzner said.

“Not too many people can be bilingual, helicopter skills — Eliana Moreno, so she knew that, right? She’s smart and she loved it.”

A third person died at the helicopter crash site, 29-year-old Edy Guitierrez Mejia. He was on the ground in the parking lot where the chopper dropped.

On Wednesday, the NTSB and the FAA were at the accident site, gathering factual data. Salazar said the NBCLA helicopter was capturing live footage when the crash occurred. He called that video the “most important evidence” so far.

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.

Houston Theater Week Delivers Nearly $7 Million in 5 Years for Local Performing Arts

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

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    September 17, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — HOUSTON — Somebody cue the standing ovation.

Five years after the curtain first rose on Houston Theater Week, the citywide arts initiative has grown from an ambitious post-pandemic idea into one of Houston’s most successful annual celebrations of live performance—generating nearly $7 million for local performing arts organizations since 2022.

The 2026 edition of Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank, organized by Houston First Corporation in partnership with the Houston Theater District and participating arts organizations, delivered another blockbuster performance of its own.

Nearly 42,000 tickets were sold for more than 400 live shows, producing more than $2 million in ticket revenue during the week-long promotion. Twenty-one organizations participated, offering audiences everything from theater and opera to ballet, contemporary dance, chamber music, symphonic performances and innovative new productions.

That is a long way from opening night in 2022.

The inaugural Houston Theater Week sold 17,594 tickets to 107 shows, generating $572,223. By 2023, revenues had climbed to roughly $868,000. In 2024, more than 32,000 tickets generated nearly $1.4 million. Then came 2025, when more than 43,000 tickets pushed revenues above $2 million for the first time.

In other words, Houston did not simply buy tickets. Houston built an audience.

“Reaching its fifth year is an important milestone for Houston Theater Week and a testament to the event’s growing impact,” said Michael Heckman, President and CEO of Houston First.

Heckman emphasized that the initiative has become about much more than discounted admission. Early sellouts showed strong public enthusiasm while introducing residents and visitors to the extraordinary range of cultural experiences available throughout Greater Houston.

And Houston has quite a stage on which to perform. The Houston Theater District describes itself as home to the nation’s second-largest concentration of world-class performing arts venues, including Alley Theatre, the Hobby Center, Jones Hall and Wortham Theater Center.

Yet one of Theater Week’s strengths is that the spotlight extends well beyond the largest institutions.

The 2026 lineup included 4th Wall Theatre Company, Alley Theatre, Apollo Chamber Players, Ars Lyrica Houston, Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre, Chamber Music Houston, DACAMERA, Houston Ballet, Houston Contemporary Dance Company, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Masterworks Chorus, Houston Symphony, Main Street Theater, Mercury Chamber Orchestra, Performing Arts Houston, ROCO, Stages, Tee Zee Productions, The Ensemble Theatre, The Hobby Center and Theatre Under The Stars.

That mixture of internationally recognized institutions, established local companies and smaller artistic organizations is important because Theater Week serves two audiences at once: longtime arts supporters and Houstonians walking through a theater door for the very first time.

“Our performing arts organizations of all sizes welcomed thousands of new faces into their venues,” said Meg Booth, Board Chair of the Houston Theater District, adding that the goal is to break down barriers and make live performing arts more accessible.

That accessibility may ultimately be Houston Theater Week’s biggest encore.

Buy-One-Get-One-Free offers get people through the doors. But once audiences experience the orchestra warming up, the curtain rising, dancers taking flight or actors turning a quiet stage into another world, a bargain ticket can become a lifelong relationship with the arts.

Five years, nearly $7 million and tens of thousands of seats later, Houston Theater Week has demonstrated something wonderfully Houston: when culture becomes more accessible, the audience gets bigger—and the entire arts community gets stronger.

For official Houston Theater Week results and future announcements, visit Houston First and the Houston Theater District. Houston First — Houston Theater Week 2026 results Houston Theater District

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.

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ICE agent accused of lying about north Minneapolis shooting booked into Hennepin County Jail

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By WCCO Staff

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with lying about the circumstances leading up to his shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge is now in the Hennepin County Jail.

Christian Castro, 52, pleaded not guilty to six federal counts of making false statements to investigators.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it arrested Castro around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Second Avenue South and Third Street in Minneapolis. He was booked into the Hennepin County Jail on an active warrant.

Castro, who has been suspended without pay by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was released from custody in late August after Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant to Minnesota.

“Gov. Abbott’s attempt to shield Mr. Castro from accountability has failed. We look forward to commencing our prosecution,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement Wednesday.

A judge in McAllen, Texas, had ordered Castro released on a $75,000 bond and told him to wear a GPS ankle monitor.

Charges allege Castro was working with his partner on Jan. 14 and pursued a then-26-year-old Venezuelan citizen on foot in front of a north Minneapolis duplex. Julio Sosa-Celis came out to help during the struggle.

The documents say the two men ran back inside the duplex and Castro fired a single shot through the door, striking Sosa-Celis in the foot. There were multiple people, including two children, in the home at the time. Surveillance video threw Castro’s account of the encounter into doubt.

Castro is scheduled to make his first appearance in state court on Thursday. He is expected in Minnesota federal court on Friday afternoon.

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.

ICE agent accused of lying about north Minneapolis shooting booked into Hennepin County Jail

CNN on September 17, 2026

WCCO

By WCCO Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with lying about the circumstances leading up to his shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge is now in the Hennepin County Jail.

Christian Castro, 52, pleaded not guilty to six federal counts of making false statements to investigators.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it arrested Castro around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Second Avenue South and Third Street in Minneapolis. He was booked into the Hennepin County Jail on an active warrant.

Castro, who has been suspended without pay by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was released from custody in late August after Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant to Minnesota.

“Gov. Abbott’s attempt to shield Mr. Castro from accountability has failed. We look forward to commencing our prosecution,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement Wednesday.

A judge in McAllen, Texas, had ordered Castro released on a $75,000 bond and told him to wear a GPS ankle monitor.

Charges allege Castro was working with his partner on Jan. 14 and pursued a then-26-year-old Venezuelan citizen on foot in front of a north Minneapolis duplex. Julio Sosa-Celis came out to help during the struggle.

The documents say the two men ran back inside the duplex and Castro fired a single shot through the door, striking Sosa-Celis in the foot. There were multiple people, including two children, in the home at the time. Surveillance video threw Castro’s account of the encounter into doubt.

Castro is scheduled to make his first appearance in state court on Thursday. He is expected in Minnesota federal court on Friday afternoon.

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.

Twin Cities doctor paralyzed in mountain fall returns to practicing medicine nearly 2 years later

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Ubah Ali

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — A Twin Cities physician who has spent the last two years learning to live with a life-changing injury is making a remarkable recovery.

Dr. Shirlee Xie’s return follows a devastating fall from a mountain while hiking in Switzerland that left her paralyzed from the chest down.

When WCCO first met Xie at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in late 2024, transferring from her wheelchair to the bed was difficult.

“I think every moment of life I’ve had to relearn how to do things differently,” Xie said.

Over time, she got stronger both mentally and physically, all while working towards one goal: getting back to caring for patients at Hennepin Healthcare.

This year, that has become a reality.

“It feels very strange to put on a white coat again and see patients and introduce myself as Dr. Xie,” she said.

Her shared office is bright, filled with pictures of her family. But there is one striking reminder of how much time has passed. The calendar is still marked 2024.

While there’s excitement, she said returning to the hospital came with its own questions. She worried about how patients might perceive her and what it means to practice medicine while navigating in a wheelchair.

“They don’t seem to mind, so I think it’s just, I put a lot of anxiety on that, but it was not necessary,” Xie said.

Still, she says her purpose has been the same since she was young: to care for people when they are at their most vulnerable. After two years of hard work and perseverance, she is back where she fought so hard to be.

“It feels like I’m reclaiming a piece of me that I thought was lost for a while,” Xie 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.

Witness stayed by side of Missouri high school student until the end after shooting at gas station

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By La’Nita Brooks

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    RAYTOWN, Missouri (KSHB) — A Raytown High School student was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon at a Casey’s gas station on Blue Ridge Boulevard.

Raytown police responded to the scene just after 1 p.m. for a juvenile male suffering from a gunshot wound. The teen was taken to a local hospital where he died. Raytown High School later confirmed the student was Joshua Lewis.

Elizabeth Baquedano was driving home from work when she noticed commotion at the gas station. She asked that her face not be shown.

Baquedano said she heard the shot and watched what unfolded.

“I heard a pop, which I recognized as a gunshot. And when I turned, one of the students had fallen,” she said. “And I noticed that he fell but I noticed that the other two that were with him ran. They got on bikes and they left.”

She said she turned around and ran to help Lewis immediately.

“I pulled into the parking lot, and I got out and I ran to him,” Baquedano said. “He was shot in the shoulder up here and he was bleeding profusely.”

Baquedano stayed with Lewis appyling pressure to his wound while trying to keep him conscious.

“I kept trying to wake him up, I kept telling him, ‘Sweetie please get up,'” she said. “I said, ‘Don’t worry, they’re coming, help is on the way.'”

Detectives spent the afternoon processing the scene, using a canine to search the area for evidence.

Pastor Michael Johnson, whose church is nearby, said he had left the property shortly before the shooting occurred. That morning, he said he felt a nudge to cancel his usual Bible study.

“I had not long left the property,” Johnson said. “And so, I got a call that there was a shooting on the property. It’s two-fold. You know, I’m happy that we weren’t here but at the same time my heart goes out to the young man that lost his life.”

Around the corner at 59th and Hedges, a second police presence developed Thursday afternoon. Officers were seen approaching a home with rifles drawn, and police appeared to remove evidence from the home along with two bicycles. It is unclear at this time whether the activity at that location is connected to the shooting.

Baquedano said she wants Lewis’s family to know he was not alone.

“I just hope that they know that he was prayed over, he was constantly reminded that he was loved and that I did everything I could to be there with him” she said.

The investigation is ongoing.

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

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.

Asylum seeker hospitalized without family’s knowledge after medical decline in ICE custody facility

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Rachel Henderson

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    LEAVENWORTH, Kansas (KSHB) — A Leavenworth community group and the partner of a woman in ICE custody are demanding transparency from CoreCivic and the Department of Homeland Security after the woman was hospitalized without her family or attorney being notified.

Katsiaryna Bartko, known as Kate, is a 33-year-old thyroid cancer survivor originally from Belarus, a European country bordering Ukraine and Russia.

She came to the United States seeking asylum and had a student visa that expired in March 2023.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told her she could stay until her asylum application was decided.

In May 2026, Kate was arrested in Florida on a misdemeanor charge that was later closed.

She remained in a Florida county jail before being transferred to ICE’s Miramar Field Office on June 4, the same day she received a notice to appear from DHS.

She has been held at Leavenworth’s Midwest Regional Reception Center since June 18 — 104 days.

Her partner and authorized medical records recipient, Dmitry Shyshov, says her medical condition has significantly deteriorated since then.

Medical records and evaluations from professionals have also confirmed this.

“Primary concern is to see her again,” Shyshov said. “To say to her that I love her.”

Kate is currently suffering from two life-threatening conditions: low calcium and high thyroid hormone levels.

Her condition requires daily medication to keep those levels stable.

Shyshov has been tracking her medical records, which show declining levels for both.

He says three declarations from three different doctors confirm both conditions can be lethal.

“Those conditions can be fatal, and they can escalate in hours,” Shyshov said.

Shyshov says Kate’s current symptoms include kidney pain, digestive system issues, headaches, spasms, and seizures.

He says she requested emergency room care twice and was denied both times.

Her condition requires daily medication to keep those levels stable.

Shyshov has been tracking her medical records, which show declining levels for both.

He says three declarations from three different doctors confirm both conditions can be lethal.

“Those conditions can be fatal, and they can escalate in hours,” Shyshov said.

Shyshov says Kate’s current symptoms include kidney pain, digestive system issues, headaches, spasms, and seizures.

He says she requested emergency room care twice and was denied both times.

Neither he nor her attorney was informed.

He says he learned about it by accident through an email exchange between her attorney and an assistant United States attorney.

“She simply just rapidly texted me that they are taking my communication away, and that was it,” Shyshov said.

Shyshov says Kate was also forbidden from communications after the blood draw and failed to appear on two attorney calls — one the previous week and one Monday morning.

Because of her condition, the two had tried to stay in contact every 60 to 90 minutes.

“That is actually how we became aware that something is going on, just because two attorney calls missed already means something,” Shyshov said.

In the email exchange, the U.S. attorney wrote: “As I understand it, Ms. Bartko was transferred to a Kansas City hospital on orders by a doctor yesterday. Due to operations security, ICE has advised they cannot release the hospital name or location.”

I reached out to CoreCivic about her condition on September 3, and they said Kate was being monitored regularly.

A federal judge in Kansas City heard her emergency motion in person on September 4 and has not yet issued a written order.

The hearing was on Bartko’s petition for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, filed under 28 U.S.C. § 2241. The case is captioned Bartko v. Mackey, No. 5:26-cv-03290-DDC (D. Kan.).

He initially scheduled a telephone conference about her hospitalization for Tuesday, which was cancelled.

When I reached out again Monday, they said they could not comment because of privacy laws.

“We are unable to comment on a specific individual’s medical record due to our own policies, those of our government partners, and restrictions tied to medical privacy laws, such as HIPAA,” the representative wrote in an email.

They also suggested reaching out to ICE, which I did.

As of Tuesday, I’m still awaiting a response.

Shyshov says he is still waiting for medical records from before and during the hospitalization.

“She was already in a very severe condition, and I want to understand literally what is happening to her and how she ended up in the hospital,” Shyshov said.

Dan McIntosh, a Leavenworth resident who is part of a group called Leavenworth Community Response, says the communication breakdown is not surprising.

They materialized after the ICE detention facility was authorized to open in March.

It’s since been sold to DHS while CoreCivic manages operations.

The group’s ultimate goal is to secure the best possible outcome for detainees.

“The communication throughout this entire thing has been terrible,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh says the group became aware of Kate’s situation after someone directed them to a Newsweek story, and they tracked down Shyshov from there.

He says the group dealt with three other medical situations over the summer, and all four cases involved detainees with pre-existing conditions.

He says a concern is that acute medical issues are being evaluated over Telehealth rather than by a doctor in person.

“From the medical professionals I’ve talked to, those symptoms in and of themselves should have been enough to get her into an emergency room, but she was denied twice,” McIntosh said. “Why did the lawyers not find out that she was in the hospital with a case pending on her medical treatment? Why was her legal team not informed until two days after she went into the hospital? The only reason they found out is because they had a scheduled call with her, and when they called, they said, ‘Oh, she’s not at the facility.’ That’s not okay.”

He says the pattern points to deeper systemic problems.

“If they cannot provide that level of care, then they should not be detaining those individuals,” McIntosh said. “It’s a testament to the fact that this entire system is based on a model of deterrence. It’s not based on a model of the dignity of the individual, especially things like processing asylum.”

McIntosh is calling on CoreCivic and ICE to be more open about where detainees are being held and to overhaul how medical needs are handled at the facility.

“We would like to see either a drastic revamp of the medical situation inside this facility, or the acknowledgement that they’re not capable of handling the medical needs of folks that are coming in with pre-existing conditions,” McIntosh said. “If they can’t handle these situations, they need to let these people out on bond, let their medical situations get resolved, and let the things play out in court. There’s absolutely no reason to be detaining these people.”

Shyshov says the situation has left him fearing the worst and questioning the system Kate turned to for protection.

“She fled Belarus because she was afraid to be tortured in political prison by medical neglect. Can you imagine what she’s experiencing right now? In the place where it’s the people whom she asked for an asylum,” Shyshov said. “I don’t know where she is, how she is, if she’s still alive, if she’s in a coma, if she’s conscious, and if I will ever see her again.”

Kate’s asylum hearing is scheduled for September 28.

Shyshov still maintains a website documenting Bartko’s case, including a timeline of her lab values, facility documents and court filings, at kateredemption.com.

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

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.

Woman who pleaded guilty in Colorado elder fraud, “romance scam” case now accused of targeting other men

CNN Newsource on September 17, 2026

By Kelly Werthmann

Click here for updates on this story

    COLORADO (KCNC) — A woman who pleaded guilty this week to defrauding a 90-year-old Centennial man out of $40,000 is now accused of using similar tactics on other men she met around the Denver metro area, including one who told investigators he lost nearly a half million dollars.

Priscilla Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty to theft and criminal exploitation of an at-risk adult in a case prosecutors described as a romance scam. According to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Johnson approached the victim at a grocery store in July 2025, introduced herself as “Elizabeth John” and told him she was in Colorado after her fiancé had been killed in a crash. The man, a widower, exchanged phone numbers with Johnson and later met her for lunch.

Investigators said Johnson told the man she needed money to replace items that had been stolen and later claimed she had cancer and needed tens of thousands of dollars for treatment. Believing they had developed romantic feelings for one another, the man gave Johnson a total of $40,000 before becoming suspicious when she asked for additional financial assistance and then abruptly cut off contact.

The victim’s son ultimately contacted the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, leading to an investigation that traced the phone number Johnson used and resulted in her identification through a photo lineup.

But court records filed after Johnson’s guilty plea suggest the case may not have been an isolated incident. While reviewing phone records tied to Johnson, investigators identified other men who had extensive contact with her during the same period.

According to an affidavit, one man in his 80s told investigators he met Johnson outside a grocery store and later joined her for meals. He said Johnson told him she had moved to Colorado after the death of her fiancé and was trying to rebuild her life. The man told investigators the relationship grew over several weeks through phone calls, text messages and in-person meetings.

Investigators said Johnson later claimed professional makeup equipment had been stolen and asked for help replacing it so she could continue working weddings and other events. The man ultimately provided about $7,500 after Johnson allegedly promised she would repay him. According to court records, he never received the money back.

Investigators also discovered another case involving a man who said he was persuaded to invest money into what he believed was a legitimate business opportunity. According to the affidavit, the man initially invested a small amount, appeared to make a profit and eventually invested about $450,000. He told investigators he has not recovered any of the money. Authorities linked communications in that case to the same phone number associated with Johnson.

As part of her plea agreement in the elder exploitation case, Johnson was required to repay the 90-year-old victim in full, plus interest, and complete 60 hours of public service.

“Justice is about accountability, but it is also about making victims whole,” said Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley. “In this case, we were able to hold the defendant accountable and make sure the victim received all the money that was taken from him.”

District Attorney Amy Padden said romance scams can be especially difficult for victims because they often involve trust and personal relationships.

“When someone in our community is victimized by a scam, especially one that involves trust and a personal relationship, it can be incredibly difficult to come forward,” Padden said. “Victims may feel embarrassed, ashamed or worry that they will be judged.”

Investigators continue to determine whether there may be additional victims connected to the case.

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