Albuquerque ranks among nation’s most dangerous cities on Halloween

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Peyton Spellacy

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    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KOAT) — New research from the Action Network shows Albuquerque is the third most dangerous city in the country on Halloween. That ranking includes crimes and drunk driving. With more people, candy and cash on the streets tonight, authorities warn thieves may see opportunities to strike.

Police remind parents to keep a close eye on young children, especially with masks and dark costumes that make identification harder. They urge families to know their child’s route, keep them in sight and set a clear return time.

Paul Szych, KOAT’s crime expert, also said there’s strength in numbers. Going out in groups makes kids less appealing targets, and reflective costumes or lights help keep them visible.

“Let’s just say they have a scary character that they’re portraying,” Szych said. “Understand that same outfit’s gonna be hard to be seen at night against a black backdrop. So something I recommend is either some sort of flashing little light that’s on their outfit, or even a glow stick. Something that makes it easy for them to be seen.”

If you’re driving tonight, police urge caution in neighborhoods. Szych suggests going at least 10 miles an hour under the posted speed limit anywhere trick-or-treaters are active.

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Alpha-gal syndrome diagnoses in Arkansas: prompting tick awareness

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Katie Hamner

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    FORT SMITH, Ark. (KHBS, KHOG) — As fall brings outdoor activities like football, hunting, and hiking, residents are being warned about alpha-gal syndrome. It’s a tick-borne illness that causes a severe allergy to red meat. Alpha-gal syndrome is a potentially life-threatening allergy caused by a bite from a lone star tick.

Hayley Franklin, a busy mom and real estate agent in Northwest Arkansas, said her diagnosis changed her life. “I feel like my whole life now revolves around my diet,” Franklin said. Her symptoms included gastrointestinal upset and stomach pain after meals, which experts say is a common timeline of symptoms. “They’ll eat a red meat for dinner, let’s say they have a steak for dinner, well, they wake up in the middle of the night with hives hands swollen, you know mouth swollen. That tends to be the typical presentation that leads us to start working up for alpha gal,” said Daniel Maechler, a nurse practitioner with Mercy Primary Care in Fort Smith.

Maechler explained that a lone star tick bite can transfer a molecule called alpha-gal. That can trigger a reaction in the immune system when a person eats red meat. A blood test can detect alpha-gal syndrome, but Maechler noted, “This is a kind of a newer diagnosis and kind of newer trend; there are no cures yet. We just have symptomatic management right now.” The severity of the syndrome can range from life-threatening to relatively mild.

Franklin shared that once she identified the root cause of her symptoms, she was able to follow a strict avoidance diet and find some relief. “I don’t ingest anything or put anything on my skin without reading the label first,” she said. Franklin carries an EpiPen in case of anaphylaxis, which is always a risk with alpha-gal syndrome.

Adam Roark also recounted his experience. He said he remembers being bitten by a tick while turkey hunting last spring. He developed severe symptoms months later. “I had symptoms on four different occasions, they were very severe… There was nothing left to doubt,” Roark said. After his diagnosis, he has to avoid beef and pork, which he finds to be simply an inconvenience.

Both Franklin and Roark shared their stories to alert others before a tick bite occurs. “The goal is to essentially not get bitten by a tick – so of course all the safety precautions, pants, long-sleeved shirts, bug spray that’s safe, and of course removing any ticks as fast as possible,” Maeckher said.

Now is the time to take precautions, especially for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers advice on avoiding tick bites, including treating clothing and gear with permethrin, using EPA-registered insect repellents, and checking for ticks after being outdoors.

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New Orleans sex abuse survivors overwhelmingly approve settlement to end archdiocese bankruptcy

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Erin Lowrey, Aubry Killion

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    NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — New Orleans sex abuse survivors have overwhelmingly approved a settlement plan that would end the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ yearslong bankruptcy case.

This comes after clergy abuse survivors voted over a six-week period on a $230 million settlement plan.

The votes were due Wednesday night and were tabulated. A recent court filing shows abuse survivors overwhelmingly accepted the deal, which would allow payouts by next year.

The plan is expected to go into effect by the end of the year.

Payouts, which could roll out as soon as January, will be specific to sex abuse claims and based on a point system.

The accepted plan would pay settlements to an estimated 660 sex abuse survivors who have filed claims in the case.

The plan settlement proposes the following compensation for sex abuse survivors:

$130 million in committed cash funding to be paid by the archdiocese and its affiliates into a settlement trust on the effective date of the plan A $70 million for sale of Christopher Homes Approximately $30 million from insurance companies, which have reached settlements to date Substantial additional recoveries from abuse litigation against Travelers Insurance Co., which insured the archdiocese during the time period in which many of the abuse claims occurred Importantly, unprecedented child protection measures and transparency into the history of abuse in the archdiocese According to a news release issued by attorneys for the Survivors Committee, the plan also requires the archdiocese and its archbishop to implement new binding child protection protocols.

Those protocols include:

Overhauls the handling of reports of sexual abuse to notify law enforcement, standards for investigation of claims, documentation of all communications and regular information to the survivor, and removal of the accused perpetrator from ministry Provides for outside oversight to ensure compliance with the protocols, including a survivor seat on the Internal Review Board that reviews claims of clergy abuse and an outside child abuse prevention expert to review and monitor all child protection policies and practices Adopts a Survivors Bill of Rights that requires that survivors be treated with dignity and respect, provides resources for counseling and other services, and provides survivors with a direct line of communication to the archbishop to complain about mistreatment Creates a public archive of thousands of pages of documents related to abuse claims that, up until now, have been kept secret Sex abuse survivors’ claims will be reviewed before payments are decided.

WDSU reached out to the Archdiocese of New Orleans for comment and received the following response:

“Today we have the voting results of our proposed settlement and reorganization plan, which has been overwhelmingly approved by survivors and other creditors. We are grateful to the survivors who have voted in favor of moving forward with this plan and continue to pray that both the monetary settlement and the nonmonetary provisions provide each of them some path towards their healing and reconciliation. We remain hopeful and committed to moving forward through the Court processes as we look ahead to the confirmation hearing set to begin on Nov 17.”

The following statement was sent on behalf of certain abuse survivors regarding the vote:

“The proposed deal reached by the Archdiocese and the Unsecured Creditors’ Committee in May of this year was beyond unacceptable to the majority of abuse survivors whose representation was excluded from this original “deal.” With our counsel, our clients dug in their heels and made it clear that if the deal was not significantly improved, the initial Plan of Reorganization had no shot at receiving the necessary votes. We made this abundantly clear to all involved. It was only once the Archdiocese met the demands of the this group of survivors that we were willing to advise our clients to vote favorably on the improved Plan. This is the reason that this most recent plan was overwhelmingly approved by vote of survivors. There is no amount of money that could ever make these survivors whole.”

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Team of ghost hunters investigate infamous Villisca Axe Murder House, trying to solve decades-old case

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By McKenzy Parsons

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    VILLISCA, Iowa (KETV) — In 1999, a team of ghost hunters spent the night in the infamous Villisca Axe Murder House to see if they could crack the case.

In 1912, a local businessman, his wife, their four children, and two overnight guests were brutally murdered with an ax inside the Iowa home. To this day the case remains unsolved.

The paranormal investigators set up super sensitive microphones, infrared cameras, and other high tech gear as they attempted to communicate with the dead.

The group experienced unexplained noises, and they caught a small white bubble on camera, which they believed was one of the spirits.

“This area has two ghosts in it and they have opened the closet doors, closed them in front of people. What’s in here is borderline demonic. This is something that has not been a person. It has never manifested as a human being,” Abbott said.

In 1992, the executive director of Landmarks Inc., the historic preservation organization that was looking after the supposedly haunted Joslyn Castle, recounted the odd experience she had.

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West Chester firefighter saves elderly man who crashed car into pond

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Matthew Dietz

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    WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLWT) — A firefighter with the West Chester Fire Department jumped into action Thursday night when a car went into a pond.

It happened around 8:37 p.m., near the Muhlhauser Barn on Beckett Road in West Chester Township, across the street from the fire station.

A spokesperson with the township said one car was involved in the incident and the firefighters jumped in and pulled an elderly man out of the water.

The extent of the man’s injuries was not released but officials said he was conscious when being taken for medical attention.

Crews were at the scene Thursday night to tow the car out of the pond.

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Chatham County man indicted on 9 child sex crime charges, including rape

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Graham Cawthon

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    CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WJCL) — A Chatham County grand jury has indicted a man on multiple child sex crime charges.

Danny Ray Newsom was indicted on nine felony counts, including rape, aggravated child molestation, criminal attempt to commit a felony and second-degree cruelty to children, according to court records filed Wednesday in Chatham County Superior Court.

Prosecutors allege the offenses occurred between Nov. 15, 2022, and Jan. 17, 2024.

The filing states Newsom raped a girl younger than 10 and committed multiple acts of aggravated child molestation.

Another count alleges second-degree cruelty to children, asserting he caused excessive mental pain by locking the child in a room.

The case was brought by District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones of the Eastern Judicial Circuit; Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Parker is listed on the indictment. The document was returned in open court and signed by the grand jury foreperson. A plea has not been entered in the case file referenced in the indictment.

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Oakland boy paralyzed by stray bullet receives custom Mario Kart wheelchair Halloween costume

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Da Lin

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — A 10-year-old Oakland boy celebrated Halloween in a way he thought was impossible — rolling around in a life-sized Mario Kart built around his wheelchair.

Asa Luo, who was paralyzed from the neck down after a stray bullet hit his spinal cord during a rolling gun battle on I-580 in July 2023, was left speechless when he saw the finished creation.

The 12-foot red Yoshi-themed kart, designed to fit perfectly around Asa’s wheelchair, was built in nearly four months by Oakland Police Officer Cory Hunt and a handful of volunteers, in partnership with the nonprofit Magic Wheelchair.

“The lighting underneath, it’s got ground effects lighting that actually flashes with the music and the sound effects,” Hunt said. “It’s got a button that is accessible in his [wheelchair] headrest that he can do all the sound effects with. So that way, he can just tap it with his head.”

The costume also includes a remote-controlled red shell so a friend or sibling can join in the fun.

“I’m pretty excited, because I love Mario Kart,” Asa said, grinning as he explored his new ride.

Asa’s father, Caesar Luo, described the past two years as “the most incredibly trying time of our lives. But days like today — and with the support that we see from this community — put a very positive spin on a very negative thing.”

Melissa Neuwelt, Asa’s mother, said she feels “so grateful, because there were times in this journey when I didn’t know where it would end up. And for him to be where he is now — with his friends, learning, being embraced by the community — that’s all I can ask for.”

The family thanked Magic Wheelchair, their school, Chabot Elementary, and the broader community for making the day possible.

Asa’s classmates helped count down to the big reveal, shouting “6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!” and cheering as Asa rolled into his new kart. Caesar Luo said he’s thrilled that his son “gets to be a kid again. We need to do that as much as possible. This is one way to do that.”

Friends said Asa is already the most popular kid at Chabot Elementary. While he doesn’t crave the spotlight, the costume parade just outside of the campus allowed him to enjoy the festivities like any other child.

Officer Hunt, who retires from the Oakland Police Department at the end of the year after 27 years on the force, said he plans to continue volunteering with Magic Wheelchair to create more wheelchair costumes for Bay Area kids. Mario Kart was his fifth build. He said seeing the big smiles on Asa’s face made the long hours all worth it.

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Roughly 200,000 to gather in Yuba City for 2025 Nagar Kirtan 3-day Sikh festival

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Conor McGill

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    SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — The 2025 Yuba City Nagar Kirtan is officially underway, marking the start of one of the largest Sikh gatherings outside of India.

The annual religious celebration, now in its 46th year, is expected to draw roughly 200,000 people over the three-day event.

The Nagar Kirtan is a time for celebration, reflection, and community service, known in the Sikh faith as seva, or selfless service.

“We often say ‘for us, by us.’ This event is really for everybody by us, because a tenet of the Sikh faith is serving the community,” said Puneet Sandhu, Senior State Policy Manager with the Sikh Coalition.

The event kicked off Friday morning with prayer and sacred scripture readings at the Gurdwara Sahib of Yuba City. Throughout the weekend, visitors can expect free community meals known as langar, cultural exhibits, live music, and a parade through the heart of the city on Sunday.

Many who grew up attending the Nagar Kirtan say the event has grown tremendously since it first began in 1980.

“When we were younger, if we got lost, we could just find someone who knew our parents,” said Maneet Dhami, a lifelong attendee. “Now it’s so big you can’t find anyone, but that’s what makes it amazing.”

Food stands line the streets offering everything from traditional Punjabi dishes to pizza, coffee, and chai.

Organizers emphasize that the Nagar Kirtan is open to everyone, regardless of background or faith.

“California is home to the largest Sikh population in the U.S.,” Sandhu added. “Even people who have never lived here feel the spirit of Sikh culture, Sikh seva, and Sikh faith.”

As the sun set on Friday night, worshippers gathered for evening prayers followed by a fireworks show. For many, it’s a powerful reminder of the enduring sense of unity and generosity that defines this annual tradition.

The Yuba City Nagar Kirtan continues through Sunday, with the main parade set for the final day of the celebration.

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Video shows suspects allegedly setting Los Angeles family’s home ablaze

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Jasmine Viel

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Robert and his wife purchased their home in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles less than two months ago. Now, they’re too scared to sleep there with their 9-month-old son after a horrifying situation unfolded on camera.

Early Thursday morning, Robert said he woke up to his wife telling him to call 911 after she’d gotten up to put their son back to sleep. He then discovered a raging inferno on their front porch.

“The front door was completely engulfed in flames, like an absolute raging fire,” he said. “All you could see was orange.”

He used a fire extinguisher that they’d kept in the home, and eventually a garden hose with the help of a neighbor, to fight the fire. When he went outside, he made a horrifying discovery.

“As soon as I turned the corner, I could see that there was two white buckets that had been spray-painted black, and I could smell gasoline. There were also a couple of rolls of toilet paper on the ground,” Robert said. “I knew immediately that somebody had set this fire.”

Security footage from a neighbor’s home showed two individuals running away from the scene after the porch went up in flames.

The Los Angeles Fire Department’s Arson Unit and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating the situation. No suspects have been identified as of Friday evening.

Robert says he has no idea why anyone would target his home.

“It’s our first home, first-time homeowners,” he said. “Physically, we’re OK and we’re safe. Mentally, we’re in a pretty rough spot right now.”

A neighbor generously installed flood lights and security cameras at the home immediately after the fire, but Robert still doesn’t know when his family will return.

“It’s hard to imagine going to sleep here right now and feeling like we can trust that our son’s going to be safe and we’re going to be safe,” he said.

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Denver couple hands out food, clothing to trick-or-treaters amidst looming cuts to food assistance

CNN Newsource on November 1, 2025

By Chierstin Roth

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — When trick-or-treaters stop by the Harvey Park neighborhood of Denver, they’ll be in for more than just your average treat at the Vinson household. The Denver community has been stepping up all week in response to the looming federal SNAP benefits freeze, and the Vinsons are no exception.

CBS Colorado was there when Grace Vinson set up an entire table for trick-or-treaters — everything from clothing items to macaroni and cheese, canned chicken and even fresh apples and protein shakes.

“I was just thinking about families who might be out with their kids, and they might be able to take something extra, aside from just the candy bars today,” said Vinson. “Just something to fill their bellies.”

For Vinson and her husband, the set-up was a no-brainer.

“When I was younger, we didn’t really have much, we were paycheck to paycheck, and so we never had enough to give back,” said Vinson. “Now I’m finally in a point where I’m finally out of survival mode, and I can finally afford a little extra so that’s why it’s nice to be able to do stuff like this.”

And she says they’re not the only ones in the neighborhood stepping up.

“You see people who they might have made extra of something, and they’ll see if anybody wants it, or they have extra baby formula, extra diapers, stuff that their kids outgrew. I think that that is what our purpose is as humans. At the end of the day, no matter what you believe who you are, I think that we all deserve to be taken care of, and I think as a community, that’s what we’re here for.”

The Vinsons are handing out full-size candy bars as well, truly going on above and beyond for their neighbors. Grace posted a photo of the snacks on a neighborhood Facebook and the comment section quickly filled with people asking where the home is located.

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