Category: CNN Regional

KPIX

By Itay Hod

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — In a cramped garage right across from San Francisco’s Dolores Park, something prehistoric has emerged.

“It looks like it’s good to go,” Trevor Mead said, making a final check before his latest transformation.

For the past three years, Mead, a San Francisco lawyer and artist, has been working on a monster of a project. He flips a switch, steps inside, adjusts the controls — and just like that, the creature comes to life.

Meet the Doloresaurus, a seven-foot-tall, fifteen-foot-long glowing dinosaur on a mission to light up people’s lives. About once a week, he roams the neighborhood, stomping his way into people’s hearts.

“That is the best Halloween costume I’ve ever seen,” said local Stephanie Gladney.

“Only in San Francisco! Trust, only in San Francisco,” added Brendon Milan-Howells, another parkgoer.

Mead said the idea first hatched in 2023, when he saw a dinosaur art installation and wondered, “What if I made my own?” Only his version is less Jurassic Park and more Dolores Park.

“It is spreading joy at exactly the time and place we need it the most,” Mead said.

With PVC bones and skin made of foam lined with LED lights, the Doloresaurus can roam the streets for up to six hours at a time. Mead said this is just the first hatchling — he hopes to build a whole herd so others can roam their own stomping grounds.

At the end of the night, this dino headed back to his cave, a reminder that sometimes, even the craziest idea can spark a kind of joy that never goes extinct.

“When I’m done, I’m tired,” Mead said, “but it’s always satisfying, especially when nothing broke.”

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By Tim Fang

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    SAN JOSE, California (KPIX) — Police in San Jose are searching for at least two suspects after a sculpture gifted to the city from Japan has been stolen from a city park in downtown last month.

According to officers, a bronze Momotaro statue was cut down and stolen from Veterans Memorial Park around 7 a.m. on Sep. 25.

The statue, which features a depiction of the popular hero in Japanese folklore also known as the “Peach Boy”, was a gift from San Jose’s sister city of Okayama, Japan. San Jose’s sister-city partnership with Okayama is its longest-running, dating back to 1957.

A statement from the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs on Oct. 21 described Momotaro as “an important and beloved part of our community.”

Photos shared by police showed one of two suspects pushing the statue in a shopping cart, heading northbound towards Park Avenue.

Anyone with information is asked to email detectives at 5029@sanjoseca.gov or to call the department’s non-emergency line at 408-277-8900, referencing case #25-288-0623.

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By Tim Fang

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KPIX) — A Monterey County man has been arrested after authorities said they found unregistered “ghost” guns along with materials to manufacture improvised explosive devices during searches of two homes earlier this week.

According to the Marina Police Department, 21-year-old Ryan James Keating of Marina was arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail on Tuesday. Police said an investigation was launched after officers received a tip concerning online posts by Keating.

Detectives, in conjunction with the San Francisco Office of the FBI, obtained search warrants for two homes tied to Keating. A Gun Violence Restraining Order was also obtained.

On Tuesday, warrants were served at homes on Mildred Court in Marina and Olmstead Avenue in Pacific Grove. “Riley”, a police K-9 trained to locate firearms and ammunition, was brought in to help.

During a search of the Marina home, police said they located two ghost gun handguns and two ghost AR-15 rifles, which were in the process of being manufactured. Firearms parts and a 3D printer were also found.

Officers said they also located chemicals and components to manufacture improvised explosive materials and devices (IEDs). The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad was brought in to ensure the materials were rendered safe.

The search also yielded 2,500 rounds of ammunition, two shotguns, one handgun and three rifles which were legally purchased.

At the Pacific Grove home, officers located four legally purchased handguns and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition.

Police said in both homes, they found “racial and hate motivated literature”, along with books on the manufacturing of improvised weaponry and military tactics.

Keating was booked into the Monterey County Jail on $50,000 bail. Police said he faces charges of possession of destructive device material and possession of high-capacity magazines.

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By Ryan Hughes

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    New Jersey (KYW) — Strong wind gusts, driving rain and rough surf are once again causing problems down the Jersey Shore.

For the second time this month, an angry Atlantic Ocean was eating away at the dunes and washing away part of the beach at Seacliff Avenue in Strathmere.

“It’s one after another, and you feel so helpless because you’re limited on what you can do and the resources you have to work with,” said Craig Reeves, the superintendent of the Upper Township Public Works Department.

Reeves was closely monitoring the conditions Thursday. He says many homes are now at risk after most of the beach was lost and several feet of dunes were wiped away two weeks ago, when a strong nor’easter battered many shore towns. Strathmere declared a state of emergency.

“We really lost a lot two weeks ago with that event, so now we’re very vulnerable,” he said.

Strathmere also suffered severe erosion in August from the impacts of Hurricane Erin that churned off the coast.

Steven Hafner, the assistant director of Stockton University’s Coastal Research Center, says with the storms hitting so close together the beaches can’t naturally recover, so more damage is being done.

“When the next storm comes in, the beach elevation is lower, the beaches are narrower, and the storm surge allows the waves to progress further up the beach until they’re impacting the dune systems,” Hafner said.

“It’s a concern, we don’t have a lot to work with, and we have a way to go this winter,” Reeves said.

The last beach replenishment project in Strathmere was at the beginning of last year. The next one is slated for 2027, but it depends on federal funding being available.

Reeves says until then there is not much the township can do. He plans to be out Friday morning to assess the damage.

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By Mya Constantino

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    KEARNS, Utah (KSTU) — Something as simple as a collar could be putting dogs at risk. According to some Utah veterinarians, the injuries they often see from collars can be severe.

“People should be aware of those risks,” dog owner Jason Martin from Kearns said.

Dr. Alex Park, a veterinarian at Valley Veterinary Hospital in Draper, said collar-related injuries make up less than 1% of total injuries they see, but the ones that happen can be severe. “They can really harm their airways if they pull too hard and too constantly,” Park said. “They can also hurt their neck muscles and bones. Really severe injuries could lead to strangulation.”

Park said one of the most common collar-related problems is skin infections. He said moisture-trapping fabrics such as cotton can harbor bacteria that owners may not notice until it’s too late. He recommends collars made from nylon or rubber and clasps that are durable but easy to remove in an emergency.

Dog owners Jason and Hailee Martin from Kearns are trying to be a part of the solution.

Years ago, they started noticing how rough play between their dogs could become risky. That inspired them to look into collar-related injuries, eventually leading them to start Omega Dog Collars.

They created breakaway collars designed to pop apart under pressure; they say the collars prevent severe injuries.

For these dog owners, it’s not about selling collars but about starting a conversation about safety. “Awareness is the most important thing,” Jason Martin said.

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By Mark Prussin, Jennifer McLogan

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    NEW YORK CITY (WCBS, WLNY) — A home health care aide from New York City is under arrest for allegedly stabbing and critically injuring an 84-year-old patient at her home on Long Island.

Amanda Fraser was charged with attempted second-degree murder in connection to the elder abuse case in Massapequa, Nassau County Police said Thursday.

CBS News New York confirmed the 23-year-old suspect from Queens worked out of Aides At Home. Managers in the senior and elder care provider’s Hicksville office said the stabbing was a tragedy and an isolated incident.

“The investigation is ongoing. We’re cooperating fully,” a manager said.

Fraser was hospitalized after her arrest to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, sources told CBS News New York. She will be arraigned when medically practical.

The victim, identified as Wendy Wilson, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Her son said she underwent surgery and was expected to survive. Her 85th birthday is in November.

Home health aide charged with stabbing patient in bed The stabbing happened Wednesday at Wilson’s home on Bay Drive and Merrick Road.

According to Wilson’s son, Fraser, her overnight home health aide, was seen on surveillance video getting into her bed and stabbing her. She allegedly tried to drive away, but crashed in the driveway and ran away.

Another aide, arriving for the morning shift, discovered blood and a knife on the floor, then found Wilson stabbed in the chest in her bed, her son said.

Wilson’s neighbors and others in the community were left shocked and full of sorrow after the attack.

“She had dementia and her daytime helper would sit out on the lawn with her, and she wouldn’t speak at all,” one person said.

“I think we can all relate to it. I think we all need help, assistance with people, and really just hope that she makes it,” said another.

While police were on the scene searching for the suspect, Massapequa High School and Birch Lane Elementary School were placed under a secure lockdown for about 90 minutes as a precaution.

We reached out to the New York State Health Department, which oversees Aides at Home. They said there have been no enforcement actions in the last 10 years.

Naveen Dhaliwal contributed to this report.

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By S.E. Jenkins

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    Texas (KTVT) — A woman was found dead inside an Addison home just purchased at auction, police say.

On Wednesday, the new homeowner inadvertently made a grim discovery when he went to visit the home he had recently purchased. He told police as soon as he walked into the home in the 17000 block of Planters Row, he noticed a strong smell and immediately called the authorities.

When the officers entered the home, they found the body of a woman, who appeared to have been dead for quite some time.

The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene, took custody of the body, and will determine the cause and manner of death.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Addison Police Department.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting

Please note: 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.