Category: CNN Regional

By Breana Ross

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — The Maryland Food Bank and its partners across the state are bracing for a potential increase in food insecurity as the government shutdown continues.

The groups are working to meet the need if the shutdown lasts for a prolonged period of time.

“At this point, what we’re doing is we’re making sure we’re having a lot of good communication with our partner network,” said Anne Wallerstedt, vice president of government relations and strategic initiatives at the Maryland Food Bank. “We have about 800 partners located all across the state. Making sure that they know that we are ready in case they have an increased need.”

The potential increased need comes as the Maryland Food Bank has already lost around $4.5 million in federal funding. At the same time, Maryland is already seeing a growing need.

“We know that Marylanders were already facing economic challenges. One in three Marylanders are at risk of food insecurity just this year,” Wallerstedt said.

Wallerstedt expects the number of people at risk of food insecurity to grow as the shutdown continues.

“Realistically, once paychecks start going away, when public benefits start to see sort of a rollback in any way, that’s really what we’re preparing for,” she said.

The National WIC Association anticipates that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, has enough funding to remain open for about one or two weeks.

In a statement, the group said: “The timing of this shutdown at the start of the new fiscal year puts WIC at risk of rapidly running out of funds. This failure needlessly jeopardizes the health and nutrition of millions of pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children who rely on WIC.”

A prolonged shutdown could also impact SNAP benefits.

The food bank is no stranger to filling in the gaps, having experienced the 35-day government shutdown that started in 2018 and carried into 2019, during which the food bank set up pop-up food pantries. They’re prepared to do that again if needed.

“If need be, we can do targeted food distribution events and really make sure the food is going into the right geographic areas in the state and for the right populations as well,” Wallerstedt said.

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Fenly Foxen
Fenly.Foxen@cnn.com
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By Dean Fioresi

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    California (KCAL, KCBS) — A freight train derailed in the city of Industry early Thursday morning, causing dozens of packages to spill onto the tracks and force a large cleanup effort.

The derailment was reported at around 7:20 p.m. in the Union Pacific rail yard located in the 1700 block of Arenth Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Firefighters said that they were initially called to the scene for reports of downed electrical wires, but when they arrived they found the derailed train that had knocked over several power poles.

Fifteen cars derailed during the incident, which remains under investigation. No passenger cars were attached to the train.

No injuries were reported and despite a hazardous materials team being called to the scene, there was no word of any spillage from the derailment.

“Cleanup is underway and the incident is under investigation,” said a statement from a Union Pacific spokesperson.

SkyCal flew over the spot of the incident, where the rail cars could be seen laying on the side just off the tracks. One of the cars appeared to have split open from the fall. It was surrounded by packages that were strewn across the ground.

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By Athena Kehoe

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    SASABE, Arizona (KGUN) — On the Mexico side of the border, just south of the small community of Sasabe, a quiet humanitarian effort continues week after week.

The once-populated border town saw many of its residents flee two years ago after cartel-related violence forced families to abandon their homes and businesses. But not everyone left. Many dogs — some strays, some pets — were left behind, with no one to care for them.

Gail Kocourek and a group of volunteers make regular trips from Tucson to the border to feed, check on and care for dozens of dogs that roam the area.

She explains she started by helping humans, providing food and water when she can. “And then there were so many dogs that were just running the streets. There were like 20 people and all these dogs, and actually, one of my friends that lives right across the border, he asked if we could bring food, and I’d bring it, and he’d pour it along the sidewalk, and it just sort of grew from there.”

The dogs live in abandoned alleyways, near old storefronts and in vacant lots. Some seek shelter under vehicles. These are the only signs of what used to be a more active town. Kocourek says she has seen more people return to Sasabe, Sonora this year. There is no clear data estimating the population there. Volunteers explain how they can see bullet holes in abandoned stores still.

Tucson Samaritans relies solely on donations to be able to provide these animals with the food and supplies they need. “I have the best of both worlds. I have three dogs at home, and I have a lot of dogs down here, and I just hug them all,” Kocourek says.

She says there is no veterinarian in Sasabe which adds to the challenges.

“And there’s a lot of beautiful free animals that would love homes, but we have the same problem in Tucson. There’s too many dogs and not enough homes for them,” Kocourek explains.

Volunteers say they will continue making trips as long as there are dogs that need help. And right now, there are many.

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By Andrew Adams

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    LELAND, Utah County, Utah (KSL, KSL TV) — Seven generations have now called a farm near Spanish Fork their home, but keeping the farm in the same hands in the modern economy hasn’t been easy and has forced the owners to be creative.

Rex Larsen said that’s why the family farm, 1750 West 8000 South, now is home to Glen Ray’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch.

“It’s just fun to me to have our family involved in a united effort to produce something very wonderful, I think,” Larsen said.

According to Larsen, the farm has been in operation for 156 years after originally being started by his grandfather, Lars Larsen, who moved from Denmark and settled in the Spanish Fork area.

“It gives me a lot of pleasure and maybe even pride to think that I’m sticking a shovel in the same ground that he did,” Larsen said.

Even Larsen’s father, Glen Ray Larsen, found success growing corn and other produce.

Larsen, however, said the modern economy has proven difficult for a local farmer who raises corn, barley and alfalfa and has only found favorable market prices for his cattle.

“Right now, it’s a real challenge,” Larsen said. “Anything to do with crops — all of those markets are depressed.”

Eight years ago, Larsen’s daughter, Kara Lewis, hatched a new idea — using some of the property to host a corn maze as a seasonal attraction.

“She thought, ‘Glen Ray’s rhymes with corn maze,’” Larsen said.

Lewis spearheaded the plan, and the family created a parking lot out of an alfalfa field and used GPS mapping technology to carve a maze out of a corn field.

Glen Ray’s has only expanded in the years that have followed.

“We have our ‘Field of Fright’ haunted corn maze, which has just grown,” Lewis said. “It’s now the largest haunted attraction in southern Utah County.”

Lewis said local governments have been better in recent years at helping to connect local farmers with resources, and she noted that the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has a site specifically dedicated to the idea of agritourism.

The corn maze, which is currently open Monday through Saturday, has helped the family farm find sustainability and profitability.

“We can add that additional income to support the rest of the farming operation that may not be as sustainable,” Lewis said.

Larsen acknowledged the property would be an attractive location for development, but he continues to tell developers, “not yet.”

“That kind of helps pay all of the expenses and helps us add that little margin that sometimes can make the difference between a profit and a loss year,” Larsen said.

He hopes to keep the farm in the family for even more generations.

“I hope that someone will carry on our legacy,” Larsen said. “I hope that this is a way to tap into the interests of our next generation, our grandkids.”

Larsen said one grandchild is great at creating special effects inside the corn maze.

“If that piques his interest and the others are interested in more of the farming aspect, I hope we can keep it going for the next generation,” Larsen said.

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By Brittaney Tait

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSL, KSL TV) — A teenage boy is being hailed as a hero after protecting his two younger brothers from gunfire during the Grand Blanc Township shooting that killed four people and severely injured eight others.

Jasper, 14, was serving as an usher during the passing of the sacrament on Sunday at his congregation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His job was to stand by the chapel doors to make sure the area was reverent. According to his aunt, Amber Rosen, as the sacrament was finishing, Jasper suddenly had a runny nose.

“It was so unexpected and came on fast,” Rosen said. “Jasper hadn’t been sick. But he felt the need to leave his post and go to the restroom to get a tissue.”

Moments later, the gunman, Thomas Jacob Sanford, crashed his truck through the front doors of the church. The shooter entered the chapel through the exact doors where Jasper had been stationed.

“The shooter came to where his post was. So had he not needed to blow his nose, Jasper would have been the first person the shooter saw,” Rosen said.

Rosen, who lives in Sandy, said her sister Michelle and her other children were sitting in the back of the congregation when Sanford opened fire.

“Jasper ran to them and grabbed his eight and 10-year-old brothers,” Rosen said. “In the chaos, his sister Josie was whisked away with another family trying to exit.”

More than one hundred people were trying to exit through one door to escape the gunfire.

“The shooter knew this and so he went around to wait at the doors to shoot people as they were fleeing the chapel,” Rosen said. “So Jasper led his mom and two brothers to a back exit.”

This door became blocked in the pandemonium, and Jasper’s younger brothers were being thrust up against the glass, unable to get out.

“Without even thinking, Jasper took his elbow and hit the glass window a few times and the whole thing shattered with no cuts to him,” Rosen said. “They ran into the parking lot. Jasper flagged down a car that was leaving and put his brothers inside, so that they were off-site and safe. He was so brave and heroic.”

Rosen said at this point, the chapel was fully engulfed in flames. Rosen started to cry as she expressed how worried her sister was that Josie was missing.

“My sister kept saying, ‘I have to run back in that church. My sweet girl! Where is Josie? Where is Josie?’ But Jasper comforted her and assured her Josie was with another family, safe,” she said.

Jasper and his mother hid behind cars while the gunman exchanged fire with officers.

“It was so absolutely terrifying. The trauma is deep. No child should ever have to experience this — let alone take a leadership position in a violent attack like this one,” Rosen said.

SWAT teams found 11-year-old Josie hiding in the woods. She was clutching a Latter-day Saint hymnbook when she was discovered.

“When Jasper saw her, he sprinted and grabbed her and of course it was a wonderful reunion for them that their family was all together and safe,” Rosen said. “I believe that angels were with them.”

Rosen plans to join her sister who lives in Boise this weekend as they fly to their hometown of Grand Blanc to support her family.

“We are all visiting Michigan this weekend with our family because that’s where we want to be,” Rosen said. “We all just want to curl up with a big blanket, watch movies and enjoy the sisterhood. The healing will be a long road. This has been harder than anyone could imagine.”

Editor’s note: Jasper’s family asked KSL not to use his last name for reasons of privacy.

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KDKA

By Chilekasi Adele

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    MT. LEBANON, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — It’s no secret that we have a lot of pride in our sports teams here in the Pittsburgh area. Some people may have season tickets, others may have party buses or giant setups to watch their teams.

But there’s one neighborhood in Mt. Lebanon that exercises its fandom with some creative expression.

“Ever since we’ve lived here – the logo has been here,” Maity Kirk of Mt. Lebanon said.

Kirk has been in the neighborhood nearly three decades – 26 years to be exact.

A Steelers logo painted in the middle of Jonquil Place piqued her interest when she was looking for a house all those years ago.

“I wanted to know the story behind it and how it started,” Kirk said.

Warren Ashbrook lives right in front of the painted Steelers logo. He’s been in the neighborhood for nearly five decades.

“I believe 96 – 95 or 96 when it – when it started,” Ashbrook said.

Ashbrook said the inspiration came from somewhere else, after neighbors saw something similar on another street.

“Someone came up with the idea – well, let’s paint the street, and no one’s complained,” he said.

It’s something that’s continued annually. The neighbors even take over the street and have a block party.

Ashbrook said they most recently did it this Sunday, after the Steelers played the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland.

“Every year we refresh it, and make it look bright,” Ashbrook said.

And just like people here got the inspiration, there are some nearby copycats. There is a Penguins logo on Broadmoor Ave., along with a Pirates logo on Questend Ave.

Ashbrook said this has helped people know each other better in the neighborhood.

“It gives you an opportunity to meet your neighbors and learn somebody’s name,” he said.

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By Chilekasi Adele

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    MT. LEBANON, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — It’s no secret that we have a lot of pride in our sports teams here in the Pittsburgh area. Some people may have season tickets, others may have party buses or giant setups to watch their teams.

But there’s one neighborhood in Mt. Lebanon that exercises its fandom with some creative expression.

“Ever since we’ve lived here – the logo has been here,” Maity Kirk of Mt. Lebanon said.

Kirk has been in the neighborhood nearly three decades – 26 years to be exact.

A Steelers logo painted in the middle of Jonquil Place piqued her interest when she was looking for a house all those years ago.

“I wanted to know the story behind it and how it started,” Kirk said.

Warren Ashbrook lives right in front of the painted Steelers logo. He’s been in the neighborhood for nearly five decades.

“I believe 96 – 95 or 96 when it – when it started,” Ashbrook said.

Ashbrook said the inspiration came from somewhere else, after neighbors saw something similar on another street.

“Someone came up with the idea – well, let’s paint the street, and no one’s complained,” he said.

It’s something that’s continued annually. The neighbors even take over the street and have a block party.

Ashbrook said they most recently did it this Sunday, after the Steelers played the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland.

“Every year we refresh it, and make it look bright,” Ashbrook said.

And just like people here got the inspiration, there are some nearby copycats. There is a Penguins logo on Broadmoor Ave., along with a Pirates logo on Questend Ave.

Ashbrook said this has helped people know each other better in the neighborhood.

“It gives you an opportunity to meet your neighbors and learn somebody’s name,” he said.

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.