Michael Andrade: Driving Accessibility and Empowerment Through METROLift

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Francis Page, Jr.

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    October 8, 2025 (Houston Style Magazine) — In Houston, where a city’s heartbeat is measured by its people’s ability to move, Michael Andrade, Vice President of Specialized Transit Services at the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), has spent his 35-year career ensuring that mobility is not a privilege-but a promise. His leadership of METROLift and curb2curb services has become a shining example of how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) translates from policy into empowerment for thousands of Houstonians every day.

Paratransit as a Civil Rights Commitment For Andrade, paratransit is more than buses and vans — it is a civil rights mission under the ADA. “Paratransit isn’t just a transportation product; it’s a civil rights commitment,” Andrade emphasizes. “For many Houstonians, it’s the difference between isolation and participation.” That commitment is visible across Houston’s 808 square miles of METROLift coverage, where reliable, clean, and safe rides ensure that residents with disabilities are not left behind but instead remain connected to healthcare, education, faith, family, and community.

Stories That Move the Heart The true value of paratransit isn’t measured in miles driven but in lives improved. Andrade recalls moments that define his work: • A dialysis patient who depends on recurring trips to reach lifesaving treatment. • A rider with cognitive disabilities who uses METROLift to access day programs. • A caregiver who rides along at no cost, reinforcing family bonds and security. As Andrade puts it: “When transportation is dependable and affordable, healthcare, education, faith, and family move from ‘maybe’ to ‘I’ll be there.’”

Innovation That Expands Access In a city as vast as Houston, innovation is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. METRO is investing in modernized routing and scheduling technology, including an app-based booking system that makes trip management easier and more flexible. Real-time optimization means fewer delays, shorter waits, and more freedom for riders to design their days. Beyond technology, METRONow is reshaping the rider experience with better lighting, stronger security patrols, and upgraded transfer points, ensuring paratransit customers can connect seamlessly with bus and rail services.

Expanding Mobility for Families and Communities Accessibility at METRO is about more than individuals — it’s about strengthening families and communities. Riders with the Freedom Q® card enjoy free transfers on bus, rail, and curb2curb, lowering household costs and encouraging shared travel. Families can connect from their neighborhoods into the larger transit system, turning what was once a barrier into a bridge of inclusion. “These are exciting times,” Andrade says with optimism. “Our focus now is on educating communities about how accessibility benefits everyone — not just those who use paratransit.”

Heroes Behind the Wheel The success of paratransit lies not only in leadership but also in the dedication of drivers, dispatchers, and staff. During Hurricane Beryl, operators stayed late to ensure dialysis patients returned home safely despite power outages. Dispatchers worked around the clock, tracking closures and re-sequencing trips in real time. Many staff even camped overnight at METRO headquarters to keep lines open and services steady. “That spirit of teamwork is what makes paratransit succeed in a city as complex as Houston,” Andrade reflects proudly.

Protecting Moments That Matter One story defines Andrade’s mission: a woman called METRO in tears after finishing a medical treatment without a ride home. METROLift arranged a same-day trip. Her words still echo: “You didn’t just get me home, you gave me my day back.” “That’s why we do this work,” Andrade affirms. “We aren’t just moving people; we’re protecting moments that matter.”

A Legacy of Service From spearheading METRO’s first On-Demand operation in 2015 to expanding five curb2curb zones (with more on the way), Michael Andrade has reshaped accessibility across Houston. His decades of service underscore a larger truth: mobility is empowerment, and empowerment builds stronger communities. As Houston grows, Andrade’s work ensures that growth is shared. Every ramp, every ride, and every reliable trip under METROLift honors the ADA’s promise of equality, proving that when a city makes space for all, everyone moves forward. For more information got to: ridemetro.org

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Lisa Valadez
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Former Arizona Cardinals player seeks $1 million after wrongful detention at Sky Harbor Airport

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Ford Hatchett

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — A former Arizona Cardinals player is seeking $1 million in damages from the Cities of Phoenix and Mesa after police admitted he was not the suspect they were looking for when he was handcuffed and detained at Sky Harbor Airport in April during a homicide investigation. That, according to two notices of claim filed this week by attorney Benjamin Taylor of Taylor & Gomez.

Wesley Leasy, 53, was picking up his daughter at the airport on a Tuesday evening when police officers confronted them at gunpoint, forced them to lie on the ground, and handcuffed them. Leasy played linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals from 1995 to 1996. He runs a Scottsdale construction company and ran for state legislature in 2022.

In April, a Mesa Police Department spokesperson said there had been a shooting minutes earlier near Country Club Drive and Brown Road. At the city’s Real Time Crime Center, traffic camera video near the scene showed a car that witnesses described as a white Mercedes with four doors, a sunroof, and a temporary, paper license plate.

A police helicopter followed the suspect vehicle westbound on the Loop 202 but lost sight of it near the airport. Four minutes later, Leasy’s white Mercedes, which matched the description of the suspect’s car, was spotted. Police at the scene told Leasy they followed him while he circled the airport awaiting his daughter.

Leasy and his daughter were detained for less than five minutes before officers removed the handcuffs after officers at the homicide scene told them witnesses described the suspect as a white man. Police said they later arrested a suspect in the case who fit that description. The notice of claim includes a photo of the actual suspect. A Mesa police sergeant at the airport apologized to Leasy as he explained how the mix-up occurred.

“It doesn’t make any sense why so much force was used here,” Taylor said. “Here’s a picture of the body camera, he’s face down, officers there, guns blazing, it doesn’t make any sense.”

During the five minutes he was handcuffed, body camera video shows Leasy maintaining a composed demeanor, even trying to calm his daughter. Leasy said his calm behavior was an act of self-preservation for both himself and his daughter.

“If I make a wrong move, that it’s over, I’m thinking we are both dead like that,” Leasy said. “If I look the wrong way, if I make the wrong sound, if I move my finger, if they think I’m threatening, it’s over.”

On Tuesday, Mesa Police told ABC15 they are unable to discuss pending litigation.

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

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Tech company pays for billboard that calls San Francisco neighborhood ‘Gotham’

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Luz Pena

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A new billboard in San Francisco is causing uproar after it categorized one city neighborhood as “Gotham” — the city in Batman that is on the brink of destruction with crime.

The billboard appeared overnight and, instead of sending people to the email advertised below, it’s making San Francisco residents question the true intention behind a tech company’s message.

“Work in Pacific Heights not in Gotham? Do they want to equate South of Market with Gotham?” asked San Francisco resident Kate Goldberg.

Gotham is the fictional home of Batman a city filled with crime. The company Prompt Armor is pointing to SoMa, or South of Market, as the Gotham they are referencing.

“I think it’s stupid. I think it’s multi-layer for nothing and asks a question that cannot be answered. Cities are complex,” said Goldberg.

San Francisco supervisor Matt Dorsey represents SoMa and wants the billboard removed. ABC7 News has contacted Prompt Armor and have not heard back.

“Don’t insult San Francisco neighborhoods when you are a San Francisco-based company. It’s just bad form,” said San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey.

SoMa does have its challenges. The ABC7 News data team found that in the last 12 months, there have been 216 robberies, 327 aggravated assaults and 406 vehicle thefts, but all these numbers are still low compared to the three-year average.

One of the biggest issues in SoMa is drugs. Supervisor Dorsey is in recovery himself and has made this his top priority.

“The reality is that the numbers right now are overwhelming, even our ability to respond. Even with 35,000 city employees, we don’t have a police force big enough to do it. But in my view, we should be doing more to make sure that we are ticketing people, confiscating their drugs, taking away their drug paraphernalia and, in circumstances where it’s warranted, making arrests and getting people into custody for public drug use,” said Supervisor Dorsey.

Despite the challenges, SoMa has become a hot area for AI companies.

“Whatever you might say about SoMa, understand that this is, right now, the engine of economic growth in San Francisco. I’m proud to represent it. Is it an urban area that has challenges, more than say the residential area of Pacific Heights? Yes, that is part of what a city is,” said Supervisor Dorsey.

Real estate agents are having to balance explaining the reality of the area with the opportunity in real estate in the heart of the city.

“That negative outlook potentially scares prospective tenants away from leasing and hence that’s why the rental rates in West SoMa, Civic Center, Market Street have dropped so drastically. Because of that narrative or are they all congregate. So, rental rates are dramatically picking up over the past six months, which has been a good sign,” said Cody Kollmann, founder of Kollmann Real Estate.

Many in the area are hoping the city pours more resources into SoMa so it continues to grow into the tech engine of the city instead of the reason for mockery.

“A lot of cool infrastructure-type of buildings. I think a lot of these AI companies gravitate towards that part of town. So that’s been good, too,” said Kollmann, who added, “There has been a total revitalization. So much in just in terms of seeing new companies come in the neighborhood.”

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Advanced DNA testing helps solve decades-old cold case of missing Napa woman

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Suzanne Phan

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Thanks to advanced DNA technology, law enforcement has solved a 12-year-old case. Authorities now say the unidentified human remains — discovered more than a decade ago — belong to Velma Louise Silva Lee of Napa.

Lee was born in 1936 and had been missing for years.

Advanced DNA technology opened the door and shed light on a case that has stumped investigators for more than a decade.

The mystery surrounding a human skull found in Redding 12 years ago has finally been solved. The family of Lee now has some answers.

“This person’s name was finally realized after many, many years and that is Velma Lee,” said Colby Laysone, with Othram.

The company says it specializes in forensic genetic genealogy to resolve unsolved murders, disappearances and identification.

Redding police say work crews first found the human remains near the Anderson Cottonwood Irrigation canal, buried in some blackberry bushes.

The Shasta County Coroner’s Office said it was a female skull, but they had no idea who it was.

“Jane Doe” was an unsolved puzzle for 12 years — until Othram got involved a few months ago.

“We operate a forensic lab that assists in the identification of these individuals,” Laysone said.

ABC7 News talked with Laysone about how scientists used advanced forensic DNA testing to solve the case.

“We built that DNA profile from the skeletal remains. It was uploaded to genealogy databases where individuals have consented to allow law enforcement to use their information to solve crimes,” Laysone said.

Scientists found a possible identity. After contacting possible relatives and even further DNA testing, they positively determined the remains belonged to Velma Louise Silva Lee of Napa.

The identification of Lee makes the 70th case in California where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram.

“We are so, so thankful for playing a role in identifying Velma Lee, so that her family and law enforcement all have answers now,” Laysone said.

Laysone says DNA evidence is a powerful clue in solving many mysteries.

“It allows family to have answers and law enforcement to have answers,” Laysone said.

“There are tens of thousands of unidentified people whose remains are sitting in morgues are sitting on shelves, waiting to be identified, stories to be closed, families to be mended. Othram is so grateful to have a part in any of these cases,” said Laysone.

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Thieves use power tool to steal from Hindu temple

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Lauren Martinez

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    FREMONT, California (KGO) — Surveillance video captured thieves using some kind of power tool to try to break into a safe inside a Hindu temple in Fremont.

Members of SVCC Temple in Fremont say around 2:15 Tuesday morning, three people broke into their place of worship.

On Tuesday afternoon, priest and manager Skanda Kumar showed us around and pointed out the cash offerings made to deities that were stolen.

“This is what they took – about seven of them,” Kumar said.

Kumar estimates $2,000 was taken but it could be more.

He showed us the surveillance video. The suspects attempt to get into the metal safe using a drill or saw with sparks flying on and off for more than three minutes.

“I felt really sad and I was afraid it would get on fire, but it did not,” Kumar said.

We spoke with Prisad Ramakrishnan who volunteers with the temple.

“You feel violated, you feel like your personal space and this is not our personal space – this is a space for the deities and for the devotees,” Ramakrishnan said.

On a typical Tuesday night, he said around 200 devotees come to the temple.

“Whether it’s a temple or a church, it’s a place of worship and we want to make sure people who come here feel safe,” Ramakrishnan said.

He explained the money that was stolen is directly from community members who donate for offerings but also religious proceedings.

“Every week, we have hundreds of meters of garlands that are made,” Ramakrishnan said.

The temple purchases fresh flowers, fruits and other decorative items. Members said this is not the first time SVCC Temple has been burglarized, but it is the worst.

“It’s important for the public to know that this is happening. And they need to be safe,” Ramakrishnan said.

They filed a police report for this burglary and ones prior.

We reached out to Fremont police and are still waiting to hear back.

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Dog owner faces criminal summons after challenging Denver Animal Control ‘dangerous’ dog euthanasia suggestion

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Allie Jennerjahn

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    DENVER (KMGH) — A dog owner is facing criminal charges while fighting the city to keep his dog, Fred, from being euthanized after a fight with another dog in the same household.

“My wife tries to separate them unsuccessfully, and in last ditch effort, sticks her arm out right in front of Fred’s face to try to prevent him from biting his brother. She gets bitten on her arm, breaks her arm,” Francis Wilson explained to Denver7 “EMS gets called. EMS calls Denver Animal Control.”

That’s when Josh Rolfe with animal protection began an investigation. He told Denver7, the Wilsons didn’t want to keep Fred and the agency deemed Fred to be ‘dangerous.’

That’s when euthanasia was suggested. When Wilson tried to fight it, he was given a criminal summons.

Denver7 is digging into how the City and County of Denver handles dangerous animals, after Wilson reached out directly with concerns.

“That’s when it crossed the line for me, you’re trying to coerce me into euthanizing a dog that shouldn’t be euthanized simply under threat of criminal charges,” Wilson said. “We truly don’t believe that he was a dangerous animal.”

Rolfe said they use a scale of 1-6 to make that determination: 1 being no scrapes during an attack and 6 being death.

Animal protection rated Wilson’s wife’s broken arm a 5. That rating recommends euthanasia.

“The fact that a dog that’s this large, caused this level of injury to it’s own owner who it’s been living with for several years, doesn’t create a good scenario for future incidents when the dog’s interacting with a complete stranger,” Rolfe said.

It’s a balance between the interest of the owner and keeping the community safe, according to Rolfe.

“In this types of situations when the animals, just in our professional opinion, dangerous to the community. It’s just not safe to adopt out or transfer to another rescue organization,” Rolfe said.

For context, Rolfe said the shelter sees up to 700 dog bites a year and bites rated five or six, make up 5% of the bites the see.

Despite those concerns, Wilson won his case and Fred is now with a new family.

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Man who shot at cops while livestreaming the whole thing sentenced to more than 200 years in prison

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Óscar Contreras

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    WINDSOR, Colorado (KMGH) — A Colorado Springs man convicted on several weapons-related charges for shooting at police in Windsor last year was sentenced by a judge Tuesday to more than 200 years in the Department of Corrections.

Damien Jackson, who was found guilty on Aug. 1 of shooting at police outside the AmercInn in Windsor, had been found guilty on several counts, including five counts of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and menacing.

Jackson had allegedly set off a fire alarm at the hotel and then jumped on an arriving fire truck and refused to come down, according to the investigation team.

Several area law enforcement agencies responded, and the suspect was safely taken into custody after the gun battle in the presence of hotel patrons and staff, the report states.

The report also stated Jackson was in possession of multiple firearms, ammunition and ballistic vests, at the time of the incident.

“Not only did Mr. Jackson nearly take the lives of five members of our community, including three members of law enforcement, but he has also repeatedly taken zero accountability for his actions and would remain a significant risk to the community,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin in a prepared statement.

The sentences for the first five counts are required by law to return consecutively.

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Merieme Arif
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Video shows thieves climb into charity donation bins to steal hundreds of thousands of pounds of clothes, police say

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Jesse Zanger

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — Police announced the arrest of 16 people accused of systematically stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds of donated clothes at charity bins across Suffolk County.

Surveillance video shows some of the suspects climbing into the bins through the donation slot in order to steal the donated clothes within. The crews targeted bins placed by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, among others, authorities said. The charity relies on the donated clothes to raise money for its operations.

Police say there have been more than 70 incidents and that the thieves stole more than 500,000 pounds of donated clothing intended for the poor and homeless from the charity bins. Some 25,000 pounds of the clothing has been recovered, along with 14 vans allegedly used to carry the stolen clothes.

The case got started when representatives of St. Vincent de Paul contacted police after noticing “a substantial and troubling reduction in the amount of clothing they picked up from bins here on Long Island,” Suffolk County DA Ray Tierney said.

“Obviously and in essence, in stealing from St. Vincent de Paul, these individuals stole from our most needy individuals of our society,” Tierney said.

The thefts were carried out by two different crews, according to police, including one allegedly headed up by 67-year-old Alfredo Perez of Copiague, and the other allegedly by 62-year-old Manuel Cabrera of Lindenhurst.

Tierney called it a “massive burglary and theft operation.”

“By these thieves targeting donation bins, they stole from vulnerable residents and from the organizations that work tirelessly to support them,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr.

“Donation bins are placed in our communities as a gesture of goodwill, intended to help those in need,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. “Unfortunately, these criminals exploited that generosity, stealing donations and profiting at the expense of others.”

The crews allegedly drove around Suffolk County targeting the donation bins. When they found one, one of the crew would climb in to the bin through the donation port and pass clothes back through the slot to an accomplice waiting outside. They’d then load the stolen clothing into a van.

The bins were owned and operated by multiple organizations, including the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Police say some 280,000 pounds of stolen clothing was sold to an exporter for more than $90,000.

Perez and Cabrera face grand larceny, burglary and conspiracy charges.

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Family of DoorDash driver injured in fight says they’re still waiting for accountability

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Riley Shoemaker

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    BOISE, Idaho (KIVI) — A fight caught on camera on Greek Row at the University of Idaho left a 26-year-old DoorDash driver with a traumatic brain injury – and his family says they’re still waiting for accountability.

Video circulating online shows the confrontation escalating in the street as a crowd stands nearby.

In the video, Austen Dawson – out making a delivery – is thrown to the ground, his head hitting the pavement as the other man continues to punch him. Moments later, the crowd scatters.

Austen’s father, Adam Dawson of Nampa, says a group of sorority members ran to help his son until first responders arrived.

“It’s been really emotional. It’s been pretty hard,” Adam Dawson said. “He was just this side of death. I was afraid he was going to die the entire time. It’s a lot.”

Austen suffered a traumatic brain injury and spent days in a medically induced coma. He’s now awake and starting rehabilitation, relearning basic skills.

Adam Dawson says his son’s friends were gaming online when the fight happened and accidentally recorded audio of the incident.

“In the audio, you can hear the crowd react to him getting his head slammed on the curb. And then you can hear somebody say, ‘Don’t, stop it,’” Dawson said. “They continue to go for a couple more seconds, and Austin’s face is all beat up in the front.”

He says he gave that recording to detectives, who are also reviewing the video.

In a news release, the Moscow Police Department said the investigation remains ongoing.

As of now, no charges have been filed. The department added that the fight involved two adult men, not multiple attackers, and warned against harassment or threats toward anyone involved.

The University of Idaho’s Phi Delta Theta fraternity said the individual involved in the fight has been removed from membership, writing that the incident “does not reflect our house or chapter.”

“The detectives need to make the right decision,” Adam Dawson said. “The kid needs to be charged with something. It’s attempted murder.”

Austen’s family says they’re grateful he’s alive – now beginning rehabilitation – but they won’t stop pushing for accountability.

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Jury recommends death penalty for Joshua Rocha in murder of North Kansas City police officer

CNN Newsource on October 8, 2025

By Rachel Henderson, Sam Hartle

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    LIBERTY, Mo. (KSHB) — A St. Charles-based jury recommended Joshua Rocha be sentenced to death for the 2022 murder of North Kansas City Police Ofc. Daniel Vasquez.

Jurors needed less than a day to deliberate on the sentencing, in which they were tasked with determining whether Rocha would serve the rest of his life in prison or face the death penalty.

A Clay County Circuit Court judge set a Nov. 24, 2025, date for formal sentencing.

Rocha admitted to killing Vasquez during a traffic stop in 2022.

Earlier this month, jurors found Rocha guilty of first-degree murder.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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